The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed a citizen and an expat of Pakistani nationality in Onaiza, Qassim, condemned of the crime of commercial concealment. It has been proved that the citizen is involved in covering up the expatriate and enabling him to work for his own account in the field of building, plumbing and electrical materials.
The Ministry has published the verdict issued by the criminal court in Buraidah, including fines on the violators, closure of the establishment, liquidation of the trade activity, writing off the commercial registration, prevention of practicing the trade activity, besides deporting the expat from the Kingdom after the execution of the sentence, and not to be allowed to return for work, and defamation by publishing the verdict in a local newspaper at the expense of the violators.
In details, while MCI inspectors were carrying out inspection tours in Onaizah, they detected a suspected case of commercial concealment at one of the shops selling building, plumbing and electrical materials. It turned out that the expat is the real owner of the shop and the citizen had been enabling him to engage in commercial activity under his name against a monthly amount of SR 3.000. Accordingly, the case was referred to the Public Prosecution and then to the judicial authority for taking the legal measures against the defendants 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.