The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and two expats of Pakistani Nationality, after a judicial ruling condemning them for the crime of commercial cover-up. The citizen was found guilty by enabling the two expatriates to engage in commercial activity and to work for their own account at a textile and curtains Est. in Buraydah, in return for a monthly sum to be granted to the citizen.
A verdict was issued by the Criminal Court in Buraidah, condemning the citizen and the two expats, imposing a fine on them, closing the Est., liquidating the trade activity, cancelling the license, writing off the commercial register and preventing the citizen to practice the same trade activity, in addition to deporting the two expats from the Kingdom after executing the verdict and not to be allowed to return for work in the Kingdom, besides publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
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 has approved recently the implementation of 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.