Pinoys among 50 foreign workers nabbed in Saudi

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos were among some 50 foreigners rounded up in late-night operations conducted Tuesday by officials of the passport department in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Online news site Arab News reported Wednesday that the raids were conducted against violators of residence and labor regulations in two working class neighborhoods in Jeddah.

Immigration officials carried out the operations in the Nuzlah and Faisaliah districts after midnight as most violators worked at night for fear of detection during daytime.

The report said those arrested included those who forged iqamas (residence permits), health cards and other official documents.

It said officials arrested Filipino, Syrian and Chadian nationals who were living in the Kingdom legally but were employing or sheltering illegal residents.

Housemaids that had run away from their sponsors were among those arrested, the report added.

Jeddah officials raided illegally run car workshops, electronic repair shops, CD copying shops, beauty salons and tailoring houses. Ethiopian women peddlers of medicated oils and incenses were also arrested, the report said.

Also arrested were illegally-staying laborers hiding in some old buildings, some of whom were found hiding under beds and inside shelves.

Some women were seen pleading for mercy from the officials saying that they were not committing a crime but earning the money to feed their children back home, the report said. - GMANews.TV

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