The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expatriate of Syrian nationality, after a court ruling convicted them of the crime of covering up. It has been proved that the citizen has been enabling the expatriate to engage in commercial activity using his commercial registration, and to work for his own account in the field of lighting products and electrical appliances in Dammam .
The ruling issued by the Administrative Court in Dammam imposed a fine on the violators of one hundred and sixty thousand riyals, closure of the establishment, liquidation of the trade activity, cancellation of the license, writing off the commercial registration, preventing the citizen of practicing the same trade activity, in addition to deporting the expat from the Kingdom after the execution of the ruling and not to be allowed to return for work, besides publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the offenders.
In details, MCI received a tip about a suspected case of commercial concealment in Dammam. After carrying out the necessary investigations, material evidences have been seized, condemning the perpetrators. The two defendants agreed to set up and Est. for importing, distributing and selling all kinds of lighting products and electrical appliances, and that they will share the profits equally. Therefore, the cover-up case was proved, and the case was referred to the concerned authorities for taking the legal penalties 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.