The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of an Egyptian nationality, after a judicial ruling convicting them of the crime of commercial concealment. The citizen was found guilty by enabling the expat to engage in an illegal commercial activity under his name in a workshop for the maintenance of refrigerators in Riyadh. The expat used to manage and do the operational and financial affairs of the workshop. In addition, the expat named the workshop under two of his children, which is a clear evidence of his involvement.
A judgment was issued by of the Criminal Court in Riyadh, condemning the violators, imposing a fine on them, closing the workshop, liquidating its trade activity, cancelling the license, writing off the commercial register and preventing the citizen of practicing the same trade activity, also collecting zakat, fees, and taxes, in addition to deporting the expat from the kingdom after the execution of the ruling and not to be allowed to return to the Kingdom for work, besides publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
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.