The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed the owner of a commercial establishment engaged in the wholesale of foodstuffs and consuming items in Makkah, after a judicial ruling convicting him of violating Anti-Commercial Fraud Law by possessing and offering quantities of adulterated rice not suitable for human consumption, also some expired foodstuffs.
The sentence issued by the Criminal Court in Makkah included a fine on the violator, confiscation and destruction of the seized quantities, and defamation by publishing the ruling in a local newspaper at the expense of the defendant.
In details, MCI inspection teams inspected a warehouse in Al-Zaidi district, Makkah. They seized quantities of rotten rice due to bad storage in addition to other quantities of expired goods and foodstuffs. Accordingly, all the seized quantities were confiscated and destroyed, and the case was referred to the judicial authorities for taking the legal measures, in accordance with the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.
The Ministry of Commerce and Investment confirms the continuation of addressing those violating the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law by taking stern measures and imposing the legal penalties against them, in view of the fraud and deception towards the consumers. The Rules & Regulations related to Anti-Commercial Fraud Law stipulates penalties that may reach to three-year imprisonment, fines up to one million riyals or both , Defamation in two local newspapers at the expense of the violator, deportation of the illegal labors from the Kingdom, besides the suspension and prevention of practicing the same commercial activity.
MCI calls on all consumers to lodge their complaints or observations through MCI Consumer Call Center (1900), or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, or via the Ministry's website.