The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Syrian nationality after a judicial verdict condemning them for the crime of commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen enables the expat to engage in an unauthorized business and work for his own account in an establishment specialized in selling, maintenance and operation of water pumps in Al-Kharj.
A sentence was issued by the Criminal Court in Riyadh, imposing a fine of SR 60,000 on the violators, closure of the facility, liquidation of trade activity, cancellation of license, writing off the commercial registration, preventing the citizen of practicing the same 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 sentence in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, while MCI inspection teams were carrying out inspection tours in Al Kharj, they monitored a suspected case of commercial concealment at a Water Pump Est. Upon carrying out the necessary investigation and inspection, it has been proved that the expat is running the Est. for his own account as per the evidences and documents seized. Therefore, the citizen is found guilty of enabling the expat to practice a trade activity he is not authorized or allowed to engage in. Accordingly, the case is 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.