Escape plan

A number of infiltrators and illegals adopted strange methods to hide from authorities who had arrived to catch them, following a tip-off.

A police photographer who accompanied the authorities, was able to shoot photographs of many of the infiltrators trying to hide from the authority's eyes.

Some infiltrators had hid in large barrels, while others hid in kitchen cupboards, in a labour accommodation in Sharjah Industrial area, recently.

Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Acting Deputy Assistant at the Ministry of Interior for Naturalisation, Residency and Borders, said the section for following up illegals and foreigners was able to arrest 31 infiltrators and illegals from various Asian nationalities who were hiding in the accommodation.

An Arab man was identified as someone who had provided the infiltrators with accommodation after preparing rent contracts.

Police arrested the Arab man who was later sentenced to two months in jail, deportation and a fine of Dh2 million.

Major Salem Al Shamsi, Head of the section of following up illegals and foreigners in Sharjah, said the section had received a tip-off that a group of infiltrators were residing in an accommodation in Sharjah Industrial area.

After confirming the tip-off, a team was formed to raid the accommodation, which resulted in arresting 31 infiltrators and illegals who thought they would escape by hiding in different places.

After interrogating the suspects, police discovered that they had infiltrated in the country and that the Arab man, identified as A.A., had helped them with accommodation by issuing rent contracts.

The infiltrators were sentenced to one month in jail each and deportation.

The foreigners entry and residency law punishes anyone who houses or provides work to infiltrators with imprisonment of not less than two months and a Dh100,000 fine. The arrests were part of regular inspection campaigns launched by the Interior Ministry.

Major Salem Al Shamsi, Head of the section of following up illegals and foreigners in Sharjah, urged the residents in the country to cooperate and report infiltrators or illegals or even those who house them or provide work to them. The hotline for reports is 80080.