The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Pakistani nationality in Jeddah, who have been convicted of commercial concealment crime. It has been proved that the citizen enables the expat to work for his own account in the field of stationery, computers and toner in Jeddah.
A verdict was issued by the criminal court in Jeddah, including a fine of SR 400,000, closure of the establishment, liquidation of the trade activity, writing off the C.R., prohibiting the citizen of practicing the same trade activity, deporting the expat from the Kingdom after the execution of the sentence and not to be allowed to return for work, besides defamation by publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, MCI inspection teams received a complaint about counterfeit toner sold by a Stationery Est. in Jeddah. Upon carrying out the necessary investigation and inspection, the inspectors detected evidences, such as stamps, official papers and prints, proving that the citizen had been enabling the expat to practice such trading activity for his own account. Accordingly, the case was referred to the Public Prosecution and then to the judiciary for taking the necessary measures against the defendants 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.