Five expatriates arrested for illegal soil excavation in Eastern Province

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Special Forces for Environmental Security (SPES) have arrested five expatriates for illegally exploiting natural deposits in the Eastern Province, seizing four pieces of equipment used to excavate and transport soil, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The suspects, nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Yemen, were taken into custody for violating the Kingdom’s Environmental Law, with legal action initiated against them, according to the SPA report.

The arrests are part of continuing enforcement operations by the SPES to protect the Kingdom’s natural resources, vegetation and wildlife and prevent activities that damage the environment.

The forces have stepped up action against a range of environmental violations in recent weeks, including the illegal transportation of local firewood, unauthorized entry into protected areas, pollution of soil and violations of camping…