The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Pakistani Nationality after a judicial ruling condemning them for commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen enables the expat to engage in a trade activity he is not authorized or allowed to practice or invest in, and to work for his own account in marketing and selling dates in the markets of Buraidah, Qassim Region.
The sentence issued by the Criminal Court in Buraidah included a fine on the violators, deporting the expat from the Kingdom, after the execution of the sentence and not to be allowed to return for work, besides 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 on dates markets in Qassim Region, they monitored evidences and documents proving that the citizen is enabling the expat to practice a trade activity and to work for his own account in the field of marketing and selling dates. Therefore, the two parties were summoned by MCI to hear their saying, then the case was referred to the judicial authorities for taking the legal measures in accordance with the Anti-Commercial Concealment Law.
Notably, MCI had already published three verdicts against citizens and expats convicted of the crime of commercial concealment in the date markets, at Qassim Region, where on January 17, 2019, two citizens and a Pakistani were defamed in Buraidah, also on 25 October 2018, two Pakistani and one Sudani were defamed in Onaiza, and on 15 November 2018, a citizen and a Pakistani were defamed in Buraidah.
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.