The normally bustling Balad area in Jeddah was somewhat deserted on Tuesday as expatriates stayed away because of the expected raids by government inspectors searching for illegal workers.

Officials have not raided the area yet, but many expatriates running stalls did not turn up for work. Most major shops in the malls and markets opened for business but workers there reported a significant drop in sales.

Many expatriates, especially from Yemen and Bangladesh, have paid hefty sums to middlemen and new sponsors to rectify their status but are still waiting for their documentation. They are frustrated because they are losing money while their stalls are closed.

Yemeni businesspeople dominate the Balad area, but there are also many businesses run by Bangladeshis and Indians. Dozens of abaya shops also remain closed.

An Indian expatriate who has managed a textile and gift shop in Balad for 33 years, told Arab News that the business community in Balad “suffered greatly over the last couple of days due to the lack of customers.” He said there was an 80 percent drop in sales.

Every single meter of open space in Balad has significant value in terms of rent. The Jeddah municipality has set aside the entire open area in Balad for Saudi widows and women with disabilities. These women lease this space to Bangladeshi expatriates for almost double that of a bricks and mortar shop.

An average two-by-two meter space is commonly known as basta. Some basta salesmen cum owners turned up on Tuesday.