In a recent crackdown, the Ministry of Commerce unveiled the names of a Saudi citizen and a Myanmar national convicted of engaging in illegal business activities in Makkah’s decoration trade. Following a ruling by the Criminal Court in Makkah, their identities were disclosed publicly, with the convicts bearing the cost of the announcement.
The court’s verdict imposed several penalties, including substantial fines, the annulment of the commercial register, the cancellation of the business license, and the liquidation of the related business. The Saudi national is barred from engaging in any commercial activity for five years, while the Myanmar national faces deportation. Both individuals were subjected to public defamation.
Investigations revealed that the Saudi citizen had facilitated the Myanmar national to operate a business without the necessary foreign investor’s license, specifically a showroom for curtains and decorations.
The National Program to Combat Commercial Concealment has established ten standards to ensure market compliance, continuously monitored by the authorities. The Anti-Commercial Concealment Law mandates up to five years of imprisonment, fines up to SR5 million, and the confiscation of illicit funds for those found guilty of such offenses.
