The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expatriate of Turkish nationality, after they have been convicted by the court for the crime of commercial cover-up. The citizen was found guilty by covering up the expat and enabling him to practice car maintenance and to work for his own account in Sakaka, in Al-Jouf.
The ruling issued by the Criminal Court in Sakaka included imposing a fine on the violators, closing the establishment, liquidating the trade activity, canceling the license, writing off the commercial register and preventing the citizen to practice the same activity, deporting the expatriate from the Kingdom and not to be allowed to return for work, besides defamation by publishing the ruling in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators. .
In details, large amounts of money were seized with the expat, and he acknowledged that it is the result of his work in car maintenance, and through purchasing old cars and repairing them and selling them under the name of the citizen against an agreed monthly amount. In addition, the expat was in charge of the Est. by managing and supervising the labors. Therefore, the case was referred to the concerned authorities for taking the 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.