RIYADH: More than 200,000 people accused of various crimes were investigated by the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIPP) in the financial year of 1435-1436 A.H.

Among the 218,000 who were investigated, around 30 percent or 65,000 were foreigners, local media reported on Sunday, quoting figures a report released by the BIPP.

The figures show an increase by 18 percent this year of the number of those investigated as compared to the previous year, the report said.

The number of cases considered by the BIPP offices across the Kingdom stood at 117,450 or an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous year.

Makkah region registered the highest number of cases at 44,000 cases, or 25 percent of the total, while Baha region registered the lowest number of cases at 2,176.

Cases relating to drugs captured the highest number at 47,000 or 27 percent, while business-related issues registered the lowest rate at 0.28 percent.

On its activities pertaining to prisons and detention centers, the BIPP conducted 36,429 visits to general prisons, girl care centers, women’s prisons and other detention centers at police, drugs, traffic, and deportation departments.

Meanwhile, the number of cases reviewed by the BIPP during the covered period stood at 307,170 cases. The number of tours to Makkah region accounted for 34 percent, where the reviewed cases stood roughly at 29 percent, the report added.