A tweet was used to file a report and within two hours, it was followed up outside of Riyadh
In a joint effort by the Ministry of Commerce, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and security campaigns, over 498,000 counterfeit labels and machines were seized in a villa outside Riyadh. The unauthorized workers used the villa to assemble frozen chicken of unknown origin, thaw it, and distribute it as fresh chicken in dishes. They also utilized the machines for copying trademarks, printing, packaging, re-packaging, and falsifying expiration dates.
The Ministry of Commerce received a report via its official Twitter account, which led to immediate action within two hours. The regulatory teams arrived at the site to find frozen chicken crates, empty packaging, and machines used for repackaging and falsifying production dates, along with counterfeit trademark labels. The site was immediately shut down, and necessary legal measures were taken to ensure compliance with regulations.
The Ministry of Commerce affirms its commitment to continue combatting violations of the Anti-commercial Fraud Law and to take necessary measures against violators. The Ministry recognizes that such violations can lead to consumer deception and cheating, and, therefore, severe penalties are imposed, including imprisonment for up to three years, fines of up to one million riyals or both, public shaming, and deportation of unauthorized workers.
The Ministry urges consumers to report any violating establishments or sites by calling the toll-free number 1900 or using the "Commercial Violation Report" App.