The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat from Pakistani national, after a judicial ruling condemning them for commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen enabled the expat to practice commercial activities using his commercial registration, and let him work for his own account in the field of selling building materials in Al-Khobar province, Eastern Region.
The judgment issued by the Criminal Court in Dammam included a fine on the violators, the closure of the facility, liquidation of the trade activity, cancellation of license, writing off the CR, also preventing the citizen to practice the same trade activity, besides deporting the expat from the Kingdom, after the execution of the sentence, and not to be allowed to return for work, in addition to defamation by publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, MCI inspection teams received a tip about a suspected case of commercial concealment at an Est. selling building materials in Al Khobar. After carrying out the necessary investigation, it has been proved that the expat is running the Est. for his own account, and the citizen has been enabling him to practice a trade activity, the expat is not allowed to practice or engage in. Therefore, the case was referred to the concerned authorities for taking the legal measures, in accordance with the Anti-Commercial Concealment Law.
The Ministry of Commerce and Investment calls on all citizens and residents in all regions of the Kingdom to report cases of commercial concealment through the Ministry's Consumer Call Center (1900) or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, or via the Ministry's website. Notably, MCI is granting an award of up to 30% of the total sentenced fines after collection. The fine may reach one million riyals against each violator.
It is worth mentioning that the Royal Supreme Authority approved earlier this week to implement the recommendations of the National Program for Combating the Commercial Concealment, which involves ten government agencies. This program aims to address and combat commercial concealment in all sectors, besides developing relevant regulations and legislations, also stimulating e-commerce and using technical solutions. This program aims as well at regulating and organizing the financial transactions to eliminate transferring of money abroad, as well as enhancing development in the private sector, also creating attractive jobs for Saudis and encouraging them to invest in various trade activities, more over finding solutions to the problem of illegal ownership of foreigners in the private sector.