As a continuation of the intensive inspection campaigns on the factories and warehouses producing sponge, MCI closed the fourth plant for re- furbishing contaminated sponge mattresses following a raid on a warehouse in Al Faisaliah area, south of Riyadh. It turned out that the said plant had been collecting sponge from the containers and the municipality dump. Besides, the plant did not have an official license, and marketed its products on the highways. All the quantities had been confiscated and those involved were summoned for investigation and taking the legal procedures against them.
During the raid of the plant, which was managed by a resident of an Arab nationality, the MCI Inspection Teams had detected the labors filling the pillow bags with polyester and used sponge which they collected from the waste and the municipal dump and then to be re- coated with fabrics, and packed from the outside with plastic bags bearing the Turkish and American brands with an allegation that they were newly made, that was for marketing and selling them to consumers.
The Inspection Teams monitored the presence of a number of violations, most notably the lack of hygiene, cleanliness and safety of the employees. In addition, the plant was run in a random way with the presence of labors accommodation inside, as well as those involved exploited the highways to market their contaminated products to abscond and to stay away from control.
The confiscated items included: 862 pieces of one of the private hospital clothing, and 350 pieces of sponge of Al Osrah Mattress, in addition to 200 used pillows and 300 blankets stuffed with polyester.
The MCI Inspection Teams seized a large number of purchase invoices belonging to the company in charge of the warehouse, and the others belonging to a furniture Est. and they had been used in the sales to customers. Besides, the plant did not have any external sign showing the type of activity.
It is worth mentioning that MCI announced during the last few days that it found out during a raid south of Riyadh, a warehouse located in Al Faisaliah area, run by foreign labors who were collecting old and used sponge and cotton from houses containers and the municipal dump and they used to re-furbish it to make different sizes of pillows bearing Turkish and American brands with the allegation that they are new and imported. All the quantities were confiscated inside the warehouse which was closed later on, necessary legal action was taken and those involved were referred to the concerned authorities.
MCI also announced the closure of the second plant using the waste compressed sponge to produce mattresses and pillows bearing fake medical allegations and putting forged guarantee on the products. That plant was located south of Riyadh. During the raid, it turned out that it did not have external sign showing the name and type of activity.
The Ministry explained later that the Inspection Teams continued the campaigns on warehouses and factories producing sponge, resulting in the closure of the third plant located in the Al Faisaliah area, south of Riyadh. This plant used to re-furbish contaminated sponge and used clothing by collecting them from the containers and the municipality dump for producing various types of Arabic seating and pillows, and thus manipulating the consumers, where it was immediately closed and those involved were summoned for investigation and taking the necessary procedures.
MCI emphasizes that it will continue its Inspection Rounds on warehouses, factories and commercial institutions, to ensure their regular work, and the absence of fraud practices on consumers, and to stop exploiting the demand for purchase in selling and marketing any counterfeit or adulterated goods.
MCI also stresses that it will not tolerate in applying the legal penalties on violators and those involved in the practice of fraud, and all that put the health and safety of consumers at risk.
MCI calls on all the consumers to report their complaints and observations to the Report Center in the Ministry on the phone No. 800 124 1616.