RIYADH 

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday dismissed the country's director of public security and referred him for investigation, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. 

SPA said the dismissal of Khalid bin Qaraar al-Harbi comes as part of a royal decree that includes 19 other officials which it did not identify.

The decree was issued based on official reports that al-Harbi “committed numerous violations and breaches with the aim of seizing public money and personal interest."

Al-Harbi stands "accused of committing a number of crimes, including forgery, bribery, and abuse of power, with the participation of 18 people from the public and private sectors."

The royal order also directed the kingdom’s official Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority to complete investigations into him and everyone involved in the matter, without giving further details. 

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara