Illegal residents pose a large risk to the security of the Kingdom, as they are responsible for a majority of crimes including narcotics, liquor, robbery, murder, and the distribution of pornographic films. Additionally, they play a role in environmental pollution, a report from the Foreign Committee of the Shoura Council disclosed.

Illegal residents commit nearly 60 percent of the reported crimes.

The report proposed the formation of a committee drawn up from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to look into the illegal residents in the Kingdom and how to deport them to their original countries through proper channels.

The Council of Ministers has recently passed decisions related to work permits in the Kingdom. It said that an employer is not allowed to facilitate illegal workers. Foreigners involved in illegal practices will be arrested and deported, it said.

The penalties will also be leveled against those giving shelter or employing those illegal or run-away workers from their employers.

Meanwhile, a number of citizens in Dammam have called for strict control on real estate offices to avoid giving rental services to illegals and work permit violators. The majority of illegals live in old quarters or deserted houses, reliable sources said.

A committee composed of different governmental departments is currently following the cases of residence and work permit violators, a security source told local media. The police, the passport department and citizens work jointly to report on the locations of the illegal workers and residents, regardless of their nationalities, the source said.

Lt. Col. Ziad Al-Riqaiti, media spokesman of the Eastern Region Police, said a recent security campaign has resulted in the detection of 327 cases, including 17 residence, 252 work permit and 27 traffic violators.

A few weeks ago, another security campaign in Ahsa, in the Eastern province, resulted in the capture of 83 cases. These included work and residence permit violators in addition to 25 cases of traffic violations, the spokesman said. Similarly, another two security crackdowns were conducted last month and led to the capture of 129 persons including those wanted for security reasons, illegals, infiltrators, and run-away workers from sponsors, he said.

In Taif, one of the major cities in the Western region, some 1,200 work and residence permit violators were also captured during the last two weeks, Head of the Passport Department in Taif, Brig. Gen. Ma’ish Al-Talahi said.

His department is conducting an all-out operation in conjunction with other relevant governmental departments on locations that are frequented by illegal workers. They are caught and kept at temporary detention centers prior to deportation to their original countries.

Authorities from the Ministries of Labor and Interior have recently stepped up a major campaign to drive out illegal workers and residents and those involved in cover-up businesses in different parts of the Kingdom.