Confirming the Application of Legal Penalties on Violators of Intellectual Property Rights
The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has announced the issuance of a verdict by the Criminal Court in Riyadh, imposing legal penalties on an establishment involved in refilling and storing counterfeit printer toners. These penalties included a fine of SR 60 thousand and the confiscation of the fake items. The Criminal Court proved that the said establishment had violated the Trademark System, since the defendant possessed and offered counterfeit toners for famous trademarks registered with the Ministry, such trademarks included (Canon, Samsung, Panasonic, HP).
The Ministry said that the court imposed a fine of SR 60,000 riyals with the confiscation and destruction of the counterfeit seized toners. MCI emphasized that it will not tolerate in monitoring those involved in violating the intellectual property rights and the offenders of the Trademark System, confirming that all legal procedures would be taken against them.
Meanwhile, MCI inspection teams had detected an Establishment in Malaz quarter in Riyadh, storing counterfeit printer toners for famous brands, to be marketed and sold in the local markets, thus misleading the consumers that they are of high quality. The Ministry referred the case to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution to complete the necessary procedures, then the case was referred to the Criminal Court, where the penalty was imposed on the defendant.
It is worth mentioning that Article 43 of the Trademark System stipulates that "Without prejudice to any more severe penalty, a penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine of not less than SR 50,000 and not exceeding one million Riyals shall be imposed on either of those who have forged a registered trademark, in a manner that misleads the public, and anyone who uses , with bad intention, a counterfeit or forged trademark, and whoever puts on his products or use for his services, with bad intention, a trademark owned by others, also whoever offers, presents for sale, or has already sold, or possesses for the purpose of selling, any products that bear a fake or counterfeit trademark, or such products are presented or used unlawfully, with his full knowledge, as well as whoever offers services under this fake trademark, with his full knowledge".
MCI emphasizes that it will not tolerate in imposing the legal penalties against those involved in storing, distribution, offering and selling counterfeit products bearing fake trademarks. The Ministry calls on all consumers to lodge their complaints through MCI Consumer Call Center 1900 or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, via their smart phones.