Expats in Saudi commit 54 crimes a day

Saudi Arabia’s 10 million foreigners committed 18,981 known crimes in 2014, an average 52 offences a day, according to the justice ministry.

Drug smuggling dominated the crime scene, accounting for nearly 28 per cent of the total, the ministry said in a report published by the Saudi daily ‘Al Hayat’.

It was followed by drinking alcohol, which is strictly banned in Saudi Arabia, as it accounted for nearly 12.9 per cent.

Theft came third, amounting to 9.94 per cent while traffic offences accounted for 9.90 per cent.

Assaults accounted for 7.47 per cent and vice for nearly 3.9 per cent. Other major offences included defamation and weapons possession.

The report showed the Riyadh and Makkah provinces had the highest crime rate in the world’s dominant oil exporter, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the total.

Foreigners in Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy, are nearly a third of the total population of 30 million and half the 20-million Saudis. Foreigners sentenced to prison in some serious offences are deported by the Gulf Kingdom after serving their jail term.

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