409 Illegal workers arrested in Muscat

A joint team of Ministry of Manpower and Royal Oman Police (ROP) arrested 409 illegal expatriate workers in pre-dawn raids carried out on Monday across Muscat. "The raids were carried out by the Ministry of Manpower with ROP to catch expatriates violating Oman's residency and labour laws," Salem Bin Saeed Al Badi, Director General of Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower said in a statement issued on Tuesday. He added that the raids were carried out in residential areas of Ghubra and Al Khuwair early in the morning. He revealed that those arrested during the raids were caught while working at construction sites, restaurants, cafes, farms as well as some were domestic workers. He further said that there was a joint effort between the Ministry of Manpower and the ROP to catch illegal workers in the country. "We have intensified our efforts to eliminate illegal workforce to protect the public interest." Al Badi also pointed out that the illegal workers also hamper ministry's Omanisation efforts, especially in the private sector. "These illegal workers also pose threat to country's security and economy," he said.