RIYADH — The Ministry of Commerce has publicized the names of a Saudi citizen and a Myanmar national after convicted of commercial concealment (tasattur) in the decoration trade in the Makkah city. The names of convicts were published in the local media at their own personal expense following the verdict of the Criminal Court in Makkah in this regard. The penalties issued by the court against the citizen and the Myanmar national included fines, cancellation of the commercial register related to the commercial activity, cancellation of the license, and liquidation of the business related to the activity, in addition to preventing the citizen from practicing commercial activity for a period of five years, collection of zakat, fees and taxes, deportation of the Myanmar national from the Kingdom and defamation of the convicts. The ministry officials seized physical evidence confirming that the citizen enabled the Myanmar national to practice commercial activity on his own account without obtaining a foreign investor's license for running a showroom for curtains and decorations. It is noteworthy that the National Program to Combat Commercial Concealment has set 10 standards for establishments' compliance with market rules approved by government agencies, and these are monitored continuously by the relevant authorities. The Anti-Commercial Concealment Law stipulates the imposition of prison sentences of up to five years, a maximum fine of SR5 million, and the seizure and confiscation of illicit funds after final judicial rulings are issued against those involved in such crimes.
