Jeddah, August 14: The number of crimes in Saudi Arabia increased by 8,335 last year to 78, 737 from 70,402 in the previous, according to the Investigation and Prosecution Commission (IPC).
“The crimes, including aggressions against people and drug abuse, have increased by 14 per cent over the same period in the year 2007,” said the IPC report released recently. It added that there were 21,395 drug and alcohol-related crimes. The report said the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai’a) in Khamis Mushayt uncovered the largest quantity of alcohol where an enormous pool of distillate valued at more than SR6 million was found near the Tandaha Dam. “A committee comprising representatives of various government departments covered the pool with earth and destroyed distilling equipment around it,” the report said.
According to the report, Jeddah was the top ranked city for drug and alcohol crimes. “Most of the distilleries discovered in Jeddah were run by expatriates who were residing illegally in the Kingdom.”
According to the IPC’s report, there were 15,540 crimes of assault, 27,888 crimes of rape or sexual harassment and 3,014 financial crimes.
The report said Jeddah also topped other cities in assault crimes with 4,556 such crimes last year, an increase of 2,791 crimes over the previous year. Riyadh reported 2,438 assaults with an increase of 16.4 percent. Jizan registered 182 of these crimes showing a decline of 20.2 per cent.
The report also said there were 143 suicide attempts reported in the Kingdom with an increase of 8.3 per cent. The Eastern Province topped other regions with 49 suicide attempts while Riyadh came in second place with 20 such crimes.
Qassim province topped in financial crimes with 862 cases.
–Agencies