RIYADH: Nearly 700,000 people have been arrested for immigration and labor violations since Mar. 29, 2017, the Department of Public Security said on Thursday. The arrests are part of the Kingdom-wide campaign Nation Without Violators, carried out by the Public Security Department in association with the police and the ministries of labor and social development, and commerce and investment. Among the 696,454 people arrested, 489,376 did not have valid residence permits, 145,522 were without valid work permits, and 61,556 violated border security. A total of 9,837 people were arrested while entering Saudi Arabia illegally, of whom 63 percent were Yemeni, 34 percent were Ethiopian and 3 percent were from other nationalities. A total of 529 people were caught while trying to leave the Kingdom illegally. The number of people involved in transporting and harboring violators was 1,341, including 203 Saudis, 185 of whom were released after completing legal procedures. The remaining 18 Saudi detainees are awaiting completion of procedures. The total number of violators currently undergoing legal procedures is 13,220, including 10,991 men and 2,229 women. Immediate penalties were imposed against 125,689 violators; 96,826 were transferred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents; 109,847 were transferred to complete their travel reservations; and 168,098 were deported.