ABHA: Human rights activists in the Kingdom have called on the government to intensify efforts to tackle human trafficking even though there are only a few recorded cases in the country.

They said measures must be taken to prevent the problem mushrooming, especially in light of the courts having dealt with 182 cases last year, of which 50 have been completed.

Media reports abroad have warned that traffickers are targeting Saudi Arabia, with plans to bring in people from poor neighboring countries. This fact has been confirmed by law enforcement agencies in the Kingdom, who annually foil attempts to smuggle thousands of people across the southern border.

The Labor Ministry has deployed its officials in coordination with the Interior Ministry to identify businesspeople and traders who are involved in human trafficking. The penalties include imprisonment.

The Human Rights Commission has called on the government to stop people from running newspaper advertisements offering to transfer maids at a price. This amounted to human trafficking, the body said.

A member of the commission, Suhaila Al-Abideen, said there are only a few cases of human trafficking but the authorities must ensure this does not turn into a “phenomenon in society.” She said the Kingdom has passed legislation on human trafficking with heavy fines.

Lawyer Hadi Al-Yami said penalties include a 15-year jail term and SR10 million fine for those involved in such crimes. The minimum penalty is two years. He said that human trafficking is not on the rise in the Kingdom in terms of international standards.