The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Pakistani nationality after a judicial ruling condemning them for commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen has been enabling the expat to engage and invest in an unauthorized commercial activity and to work for his own account in marketing and selling dates in the markets of Buraidah, Qassim Region.
The sentence issued by the Criminal Court in Buraidah included a fine against the violators, besides deportation for the expat after the execution of the sentence, and not to be allowed to return for work, and defamation by publishing the sentence in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
While MCI inspection teams were carrying out inspection tours on the markets and shops of dates in Qassim, they seized evidences and documents proving that the citizen is enabling the expat to trade and invest in dates, and to work for his own account. The two violators were summoned to hear their saying and then the case was referred to the judicial authorities for taking the legal measures, in accordance with the Anti-Commercial Concealment Law.
Notably, MCI had already published four judgments against citizens and expats convicted of the crime of covering up in the date markets in Qassim, where on March 6, 2019, a citizen and an expat of Pakistani nationality were defamed of commercial concealment, and on 17 January 2019, two citizens and a Pakistani were defamed as well in Buraydah for the same subject, as well as on 25 October 2018, three residents, two Pakistani and one Sudanese, were condemned of covering up in Onaiza, and on 15.11.2018, a citizen and a Pakistani were also condemned in Buraidah.
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.