Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The National Program to Combat Commercial Concealment (tasattur) has conducted 6,451 inspection tours in various regions of Saudi Arabia from June 9 to July 6, 2023.

The inspection tours targeted checking on the commercial establishments compliance with the approved markets rules, as well as detecting the crime and violations of the Anti-Concealment Law, based on the indicators of suspected concealment to arrest violators.

The activities where the inspection tours have been implemented included the activities of selling food, beverages, contracting, men's barber shops, auto spare parts, and others.

Tasattur has issued immediate violations, and arrested suspected cases in commercial concealment, as well as referred the violators to the competent authorities to subject the legal penalties against them in case it has been proven.

It is worth mentioning that the penalties of the Anti-Concealment Law are varied, as they reach imprisonment for a period of up to 5 years, and a fine of up to SR5 million, in addition to seizing and confiscating illegal funds after final court rulings are issued against those involved.

Penalties are not limited to those mentioned above, but also include: closing the facility, liquidating the activity, cancellation of the commercial register, preventing the accused from practicing commercial activity, collecting zakat, fees and taxes, defamation, in addition to deporting the people who were covered up from Saudi Arabia and not allowing them to return to work.