Within the second phase of inspection campaigns to nationalization the jobs
The Ministry of Commerce and Investment inspection teams continue their tours on telecom businesses establishments and their accessories in various regions of the Kingdom, as part of the second stage of nationalizing the telecommunication sector, which was launched at the beginning of this month. These tours are part of a current implementation of the ministerial decision that limits working in the telecom sector and its accessories on the Saudi citizens only.
More than 1.600 facilities were visited, and 168 violations were registered, which included commercial concealment, commercial record violation, and nationalizing violations. All those who involved were referred to the authorities in preparation for prosecution and penalties.
During the inspection tours, significant amounts of counterfeit chargers and phone batteries for famous brands were seized, and many violations were registered for no price tag on the product.
The campaign was carried out in cooperation and coordination with the many Ministries: Ministry of Interior, Ministry Labour and Social Development, Ministry Municipal and Rural Affairs, Communications and Information Technology, which aims to verify the regular business of enterprises in the telecom sector in order to develop appropriate and adequate job opportunities for the national manpower.
Commercial concealment violation is penalized with two years imprisonment and one million riyals fine for any violator whether he is a citizen or foreigner, with deportation for the foreigner after the end of his sentence and prevented from entering Saudi Arabia for work. The violators' names will be announced in all media means, and the shop will be closed. The owner business activity will be suspended for five years.