Oman grants judicial police powers to CPA employees
Muscat – His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed al Saidi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, has issued Ministerial Decision No. (38/2025), granting judicial police authority to selected employees of the Consumer Protection Authority. This move aims to strengthen market oversight and safeguard consumer rights.
The decision empowers 52 Consumer Protection Authority employees to take immediate legal action against violators, enhancing efforts to combat commercial fraud and price manipulation. These employees will now be authorised to prepare violation reports and directly refer cases to the relevant judicial authorities, expediting the legal accountability process.
With this expansion of judicial police powers, the Consumer Protection Authority is expected to improve its monitoring performance, ensuring a more effective response to market violations. This step is also anticipated to boost consumer confidence in regulatory authorities' ability to uphold their rights.
The decision is based on several legal frameworks, including the Code of Criminal Procedure (Royal Decree No. 97/99), the establishment of the Consumer Protection Authority (Royal Decree No. 26/2011), the Consumer Protection Law (Royal Decree No. 66/2014), the Unified Commercial Fraud Law for GCC countries (Royal Decree No. 54/2021), and Ministerial Decision No. 207/2017, which previously granted judicial police authority to certain Consumer Protection Authority employees.
By strengthening enforcement capabilities, the initiative is expected to reduce illegal market practices, ensuring a safer and more transparent consumer environment in Oman.
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