The officials said many
of the infiltrators were drug and other smugglers, many of whom were
captured by Saudi authorities.
"Many of the infiltrators were motivated by economic interests," an
official said.
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Saudi Arabia has reinforced its military and security forces along the
1,600-kilometer border with Yemen. The Jazan border served as a leading
infiltration point by Iranian-backed Shi'ite rebels during the war with
Sanaa and Riyad in late 2009 and early 2010.
The Interior Ministry said much of the infiltration focused on Saudi
Arabia's Jazan province. During a six-day period in May, the Saudi Border
Guards arrested 4,106 infiltrators from Yemen, Middle East Newsline reported.
The Border Guards also captured 167 smugglers from May 21 to May 27.
Much of the smuggling was said to have been drug-related.
"The guards seized 131 packets of hashish and 58,682 kilograms of Qat
from the smugglers," Border Guards spokesman Lt. Turki Al Gosaibi said on
May 30.
The Border Guards also reported the capture of 51 smugglers since March
2010. Officials said the smugglers sought to transport 234 guns and nearly
10,000 rounds of ammunition from Yemen to Saudi Arabia.
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