The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expatriate of Egyptian nationality, after a court ruling convicted them of the crime of commercial cover-up. It has been proved that the citizen enables the expatriate to work under the name of his Est. in the field of fruits and vegetables activity in the province of Rafha'a.
The verdict issued by the Criminal Court in Arar imposed a fine on the violators, imprisonment for one month for both convicts, closing the establishment, liquidating the trade activity, canceling the licenses, writing off the commercial register, preventing the citizen of practicing the same trade activity, also deporting the expat from the kingdom after the execution of the judgment, and not to be allowed to return for work, besides defamation by publishing the ruling in a local newspaper at the expense of the offenders.
In details, MCI inspection teams suspected a case of commercial concealment while making inspection tour in Rafha'a. Evidences have been seized proving the cover-up, such as documents and sums of money, proving that the expat has been running the Est. for his own account. Accordingly, the case was referred to the concerned authorities for taking the legal measures according to 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 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.