The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and two expats of Lebanese nationality following the issuance of a judicial ruling condemning them for commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen has been enabling the expats to practice business activity by using his commercial registration and working for their own account in preparing parties and events in Riyadh.
A judgment was issued by the Criminal Court in Riyadh, imposing a fine on the violators amounting to three hundred thousand riyals, in addition to the closure of the facility, liquidation of the trade activity, cancelling the license, writing off the commercial registration, prohibition of practicing the same trade activity and defamation by publishing the sentence in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, MCI received a tip about an Est. specialized in preparing and organizing parties and events. After carrying out the necessary investigation, evidences have been detected such as contracts, checks, domestic and international remittances, including big amounts. This proves that the expats were working for their own account and the citizen was enabling them to practice this illegal trade activity. Accordingly, the case was referred to the Public Prosecution and then to the judiciary for taking the necessary legal measures against the violators, in accordance with 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.