The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has defamed the owner of a commercial establishment specialized in selling commodities and consumer items in Dammam after he was found guilty of violating the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law by possessing and offering quantities of counterfeit saffron, which did not conform to standard specifications. The Criminal Court in Dammam imposed a fine on the violator and ordered the ministry to confiscate and destroy the fake products. It also ordered the publication of the verdict in two local newspapers at the expense of the defendant. The ministry›s inspection teams during a routine round detected 88 containers of fake saffron weighing 5 grams each. The inspectors suspected that the saffron was not conforming to the approved specifications, so samples were sent to specialized laboratories. The results showed that they did not conform to the approved standard specifications. The sampled contained a number of industrial colors. The ministry›s inspectors seized the fake quantities and destroyed them. They referred the case to the prosecution authorities for taking the legal measures against the violator. The ministry vowed to address those violating the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law by taking stern measures and imposing the legal penalties against them with a view to protect consumers from all kinds of fraud and deception. The Anti-Commercial Fraud Law stipulates penalties that may reach three-year imprisonment, fines of up to SR1 million, defamation by publishing the punishment in two local newspapers, deportation of offenders who are expatriates from the Kingdom, and the suspension and prevention of practicing the same commercial activity by the violator. The ministry on all consumers to lodge their complaints or observations through its Consumer Call Center (1900), through the app Commercial Violation Report, or via the ministry›s website. — SG
