RIYADH: The government and courts have issued 35,010 penalties against citizens and expatriates for violating the country’s residency laws including fines and jail terms.

Citizens and expatriates across the Kingdom were penalized for transporting, harboring and employing illegal workers, said Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director general of the Passport Department, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

Violators have already paid SR56.24 million in fines, with SR329.42 million outstanding. The authorities have impounded 287 cars used for transporting illegal workers, he said.

All the penalties were approved by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, he said. Maj. Gen. Daifallah bin Sattam Al-Huwaifi, deputy director general of the department, said 507,788 people have been deported since the start of the year.

Al-Huwaifi called on citizens and residents to abide by the country’s Haj regulations. He said the Passport Department has deployed officers at entry points to Makkah, who would issue spot fines for those transporting Hajis illegally.

He said those caught transporting Hajis who do not have permits would be detained for 15 days and fined SR10,000 for each person being transported.