Saudi Authorities Seize Expired Sweets In Najran Ahead Of Eid
Saudi commerce authorities have seized large quantities of sweets unfit for human consumption during a raid on a suspected facility in Najran, southwest of the kingdom, ahead of the high-demand Eid Al Fitr season, media reports said.
The Ministry of Commerce stated that its monitoring teams shut down a facility where illegal workers were producing sweets and pastries using expired ingredients. The workers were referred to authorities for legal action and 'deterrent penalties.' The ministry did not specify the number of arrests.
During the raid, officials confiscated and destroyed large quantities of expired sweets, chocolates, and pastries before they could reach the market. Documents and evidence linked to suspected commercial cover-up practices were also seized, according to the Saudi newspaper Al Yaum .
Under Saudi Arabia's anti-commercial fraud law, offenders face up to three years in prison, fines of up to SR1 million, or both. Violating expat workers are deported, while citizens involved are publicly named after final court rulings.
Additionally, breaching the anti-commercial cover-up law carries penalties of up to five years in prison, fines up to SR5 million, and confiscation of illicit funds upon conviction.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Insider
a day ago
- Gulf Insider
Saudi National Homaidan Al Turki To Be Deported After Nearly Two Decades In US Prison
Saudi national Homaidan Al Turki, who spent nearly 20 years in a United States prison, is expected to be deported to Saudi Arabia in the coming days. The 56-year-old was released from prison last month and has since been in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as final deportation procedures are completed. On Sunday, Al Turki's family was notified that his repatriation is imminent, with travel arrangements nearing completion. His family in Saudi Arabia expressed deep gratitude for his release after 19 years behind bars, extending their profound thanks to King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their 'unwavering support and continuous follow-up' throughout the duration of the case. In a press statement, the family also commended the efforts of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, led by Ambassador Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan. They noted that both official and public support played a vital role in securing what they described as a 'big relief.' Al Turki was convicted in 2006 on charges of unlawful imprisonment and assault against his Indonesian housekeeper in the state of Colorado, a case that sparked widespread controversy and allegations of judicial bias. During his time in prison, Al Turki filed several legal motions challenging his conviction, including a recent claim that his original defence counsel failed to provide adequate representation. The court then resentenced him to six years in prison and a mandatory parole term—both of which were deemed already served due to the 19 years he spent behind bars. According to local media reports, the court in Colorado ruled last month to close Al Turki's case and authorise his deportation after he accepted a plea agreement, admitting guilt to 11 amended ruling followed a new hearing in which his legal team successfully argued that his original trial was marred by ineffective counsel. The decision ends a legal saga that began in 2004, when Al Turki was first arrested alongside his wife for alleged immigration violations and was later re-arrested in 2006 and sentenced to 28 years in prison. His case drew intense attention both in Saudi Arabia and among Muslim advocacy groups in the US, who argued he was targeted due to rising Islamophobia in the post-9/11 climate. Al Turki, the former linguistics scholar and PhD candidate at the University of Denver, maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment, describing himself as a victim of anti-Muslim sentiment.
Gulf Insider
3 days ago
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 11,500 Violators Of Laws, Deports 9,215 In One Week
Saudi authorities has arrested11,657 illegal residents were over the past week as part of the Kingdom's ongoing crackdown on residency and labour law violators, the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday. The arrests were made during the joint campaigns carried out by the security forces between May 29 and June 4, in collaboration with the relevant government agencies. According to the ministry, the detainees included 6,981 violators of the Residency Law, 3,190 violators of the Border Security Law, and 1,486 violators of the Labour Law. Of these, 9,215 violators were deported while 12,122 were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents and 1,435 were referred to complete their travel reservations. Some 17,018 illegal residents, including 15,991 men and 1,027 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them. The ministry reiterated its warning that any person, who facilitates the illegal entry of individuals into the Kingdom, transports them on its territory, provides them with shelter or any other assistance or service may be penalised with up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million, and that the vehicles used for transportation or houses used for giving shelter will be confiscated. The ministry urged the public to report violation by calling the number 911 in the regions of Mecca, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province and the numbers 999 and 996 in the Kingdom's other regions.
Gulf Insider
5 days ago
- Gulf Insider
Interior Ministry Penalizes 49 People For Transporting 197 Unauthorized Pilgrims
The Ministry of Interior has penalized as many as 49 people for violation of Hajj rules and regulations. The ministry said that the Hajj Security Forces have arrested 18 expatriates and 31 Saudi citizens at the entry points to Makkah while transporting 197 individuals who did not hold permits to perform Hajj. The ministry issued administrative rulings through the seasonal administrative committees against the transporters, accomplices, and unauthorized pilgrims. Penalties include imprisonment, fines of up to SR100,000, publicizing names of the violators in the local media at their own expense, deportation of expatriates with a 10-year re-entry ban after serving of the sentence, and legal proceedings for the confiscation of vehicles used in the violations. Unauthorized pilgrims face fines of up to SR20,000. In a related incident, Hajj Security Forces arrested 58 individuals for violating Hajj regulations by attempting to enter the city of Makkah without the required permits to perform the pilgrimage. They were referred to the competent authorities to slap the prescribed penalties. The ministry urged all citizens and residents to strictly adhere to Hajj regulations in order to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims during the performance of their rituals.
