Several African and Asian women were arrested in Al-Safa District here on Friday for indulging in various illegal acts including brokering for housemaids, facilitating mingling between men and women, immoral acts and providing jobs to overstayers. The campaign carried out by security patrols of Makkah Region Passports Department resulted in several arrests after storming houses that were kept under surveillance for the past two weeks. The campaign started at midnight by closing all the streets leading to the district while the raiding team busted the houses one by one. The first was a residential apartment in which a well-known female broker for housemaids named Bibi Miyan was staying. She had converted her house into a den for supplying families with maids for a commission of SR2,000 for each housemaid from both parties. Seven women of the same nationality in the apartment were apprehended. Five African women were found in compromising positions with men of the same nationality in another apartment. Seven Asian and African girls involved in prostitution were nabbed. Several Ethiopian women were stopped when they were about to enter their house in Al-Azizia District. From the way they were dressed they appeared to have come from a party. When questioned, they said they came from a wedding hall where some of them sang and danced while others collected money from female guests. The women admitted they were overstayers. They also said there were other women of the same nationality working in the wedding halls on an hourly basis. Twelve apartments in a residential complex suspected of indulging in illicit activities by African overstayers were busted and a number of men and women found in compromising positions were arrested. – Okaz __
