The Ministry of Commerce and Investment announced the issuance of a verdict by the Criminal Court in Riyadh to impose severe penalties on a commercial Establishment involved in commercial fraud, by storing, marketing and selling fake auto parts for famous brands, besides selling fake sewing materials and tools by forging the country of origin. The concerned court proved the offense against the said Establishment for using a third-party trademark, and for violating the trademark and Anti-Commercial Fraud System.
Therefore, the court issued a verdict against the owner of the establishment and the labor in charge of the site, including a fine of one million riyals, also a two-year imprisonment for each person, as well as the closure of the Establishment, besides the confiscation of the counterfeit items and the destruction of the tools used for forging process, in addition to the deportation of the expatriate after the execution of the relevant sentence, furthermore publishing the said verdict in two local newspapers at the expense of the two violators.
The Ministry of Commerce and Investment emphasizes its intention to combat any violations of Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, and the trademark system, by taking the necessary legal procedures against the violators, since this issue represents fraud and deception towards the consumers, and poses a threat to the users’ safety.
The details go back when MCI inspectors monitored foreign labors packing counterfeit auto spare parts and forging the country of origin for sewing materials and tools, to be distributed and sold in the local markets, claiming that they are of high quality. The case was referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution to complete the formal procedures, which in turn referred the case to the Criminal Court, which issued the penalties against the violators. The total seized quantities reached more than 38 thousand auto spare parts and sewing supplies, in addition to more than 296 thousand pieces of counterfeit containers and posters, prepared for packaging the fake quantities.
The seizures included counterfeit air filters, forged air filter cartons, fake oil filters for famous brands, registered with the Ministry, such as (Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, AC Delco, Bosch) in addition to tools used in the forging process, including a printer and cutting machine.
The following items had been seized as well: 258120 fake stickers bearing Made in Germany, Japan, England and India, 298 fake Thobe paddings, 7990 paddings prepared for forging the country of origin, 2640 sewing rolls with forged country of origin, 7200 other pieces prepared to change the country of origin as well, two machines for pressing the paddings, with forged country of origin and other 15 machines ready to be forged.
During the inspection of shops selling sewing supplies, more than 1,000 cloth rolls were seized, bearing Made in Germany, England, China, India and Korea, where the real country of origin is China, in addition to 12 sewing machines, bearing Made in Japan, while the real country of origin is China, also 4 sewing presses, bearing Made in Germany, but they are China made, as well as 525 badges for various brands including (Louis Vuitton, Dior, Dolce Gabbana, Gucci, Chanel, Egner) ready to be sewed on Jeans trousers, also “307" sewing rolls, and 120 cloth paddings, bearing Made in Germany, but the real origin is China
Upon inspecting another warehouse, 1000 empty covers bearing the brand AC Delco were seized, also 5000 empty PlayStation covers, as well as 30 empty HP toner cartridges, 850 stickers, 450 empty incense boxes, all ready for packing.
The following auto parts were seized as well: 700 AC Delco shock absorbers, 280 GM belts, 124 Ford spare parts, 70 Ford window dynamo, 10,000 AC Delco ball bearing.
It is worth mentioning that offering or marketing any products, contrary to the Anti-Commercial Fraud System, would make the violator liable to a fine of up to one million riyals or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both.
MCI would like to affirm its on-going efforts for combating the commercial fraud, and those involved in storing, distributing, offering and selling counterfeits products, bearing fake trademarks. The Ministry calls on all consumers to lodge their complaints through the Consumer Call Center (1900) or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report via their smart phones.