Saudi Gazette report ABHA — Police and other security forces in Asir province have arrested a total of 50,956 undocumented workers since the beginning of a campaign to crack down on illegal expatriates, the director of the province's police has said. "The nabbing of this large number of the violating expats has led to a sharp drop in the number of crimes," Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Ahmadi told Al-Watan newspaper. He said the crackdown, which immediately followed an amnesty for illegal workers to correct their status or leave the Kingdom without penalties, has also led to a notable decrease in the number of infiltrators through the Kingdom's southern borders. Asir province is linked to Yemen through its common borders with Jazan and Najran province. The director said the police would first observe areas in which the illegals reside before arresting them and handing them over to prison authorities. "The Saudi citizens who are determined to preserve the security and stability of their country have been a great help to us in our crackdown on violating expats," he said. Assistant director of police Brig. Ayed Bin Hussain Al-Nifaie said the security forces have been well trained on how to track down illegal expatriates and smugglers in the region's difficult terrain. He said the police are watching the area around the clock, tracking down illegal foreigners and the Saudis who help smuggle them. Al-Nifaie said the method of using forged documents was no longer useful because police were thoroughly trained on how to easily detect them. A number of Saudi smugglers said they had no idea that transporting illegal expatriates was against the law. "I only transported the undocumented expatriates with the sole purpose of increasing my personal income," said one of the smugglers on condition of anonymity. He said he used to smuggle expats from Mahayil to Al-Darb for SR70 or SR80 an individual. He said: “I was caught in a police ambush while transporting 10 expatriates. I was sentenced to three months in prison and fired from my government job.” The smuggler said after the incidents in Riyadh's Manfouha district where Ethiopian workers clashed with citizens, he stopped smuggling illegals. "I have regretted getting involved in smuggling and I am now against illegals staying in my country. I will never repeat this mistake again.” Another Saudi smuggler who lives in Sabit Rijal in Tihama said he was a retiree and maintaining a family of 10 members. He said: “I am paying installments to the bank and have other financial obligations I have to meet. This was what drove me to start smuggling.” The smuggler said he used to transport expatriates between the towns of Qunfudah and Al-Darb for SR100 a head. "I transported the first batch of 20 expatriates and when I was transporting another 12 expats, I was arrested at a flyover after sunset," he said. The citizens who helped police in their crackdown were attacked and threatened by illegal expatriates. The son of a Saudi informant was hit by a stone that cut his lip and damaged his teeth. The informant said for two successive nights stones were thrown at his home.
