The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Syrian nationality, following a judicial ruling condemning them for commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen has been enabling the expat to practice a commercial activity, in the field of contracting in Riyadh, for his own account by using the C.R. registered under the name of the citizen's wife. .
The sentence issued by the Criminal Court in Riyadh included a fine of 40,000 riyals on the violators, closure of the Est., liquidation of the trade activity, cancellation of the C.R. and the license, prohibiting the citizen of practicing the same trade activity, besides deporting the expat from the Kingdom after the execution of the verdict, and not to be allowed to return for work, also defamation by publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, MCI received a tip about a suspected case of commercial concealment in Riyadh. After carrying out the necessary investigation, the inspectors detected material evidences, proving the cover-up case, such as the existence of financial transactions with a number of individuals and institutions in large sums that do not commensurate with the income and salaries of the expat, who works as a "General Systems Legal Advisor", it has been proved as well that the citizen and his wife are living outside Riyadh, where the Est. is located, while the expat runs the business in Riyadh. Accordingly, the case of commercial concealment has been proved and the case is referred to the concerned authorities for taking the legal measures against the violators, as per 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.