Saudi Border Guards keep watch over the Saudi-Yemen border in this April 2015 file photo.

Around 7,566 people including doctors and accountants were arrested for trying to escape the Kingdom across borders during 1436H, after not being able to settle debts or due to criminal cases against them or problems with their sponsors. They are in addition to those who were wanted by security agencies, according to an online newspaper.

A spokesman of the Directorate General for Borders Guards said that the Borders Guards arrested 115,286 people who tried to infiltrate into the Kingdom in 1436H, in addition to 7,566 who tried escape the country illegally across borders. Legal action has been taken against them.

He said that that with the project of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the security of the northern borders and smart electronic surveillance systems, the Border Guards can abort any number of efforts to infiltrate before they could implement their criminal objectives.

Retired Brig. Abdullah bin Mahfoudh said that those who tried to escape include doctors, accountants and workers of various professions. They have proper residence cards, but were perhaps wanted in various criminal cases.

He said that a number of people who were wanted by security agencies in terrorism-related cases, or for their relations with terrorist organizations, have also been held by Border Guards, with the help of the details they have about them. Soon after arresting them, they are handed over to the appropriate authorities.

Sources in the Directorate General of the Border Guards told the newspaper that the Border Guards use modern technologies including thermal cameras, night-vision lenses and radar to monitor activities of infiltrators. There is a trained team to work in this area.

He said that some of the infiltrators come after getting various type of injuries, including from snakes and scorpions, sunstroke, starvation and thirst, while taking difficult mountain routes. They are given medical treatment before handing them over for legal action.

Some infiltrators hide their footprints using sponges instead of shoes. Some of them crawl on their stomach, instead of normal walking. In some cases shoes are specially designed showing back as front to disguise the direction in which they are traveling.

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