Friday, November 21, 2025
Three Expats Arrested, Counterfeit Smartphone Operation Exposed
Inspection teams from the Ministry of Commerce seized 1,196 fake smartphones and more than 322,000 counterfeit items—such as headphones, chargers, stickers, and other products—from a business in Jeddah. Security authorities also arrested three expatriates (two Asians and one Arab) for commercial fraud and closed the business.
The investigation began in Riyadh, where officials found fake phones and traced their source back to Jeddah. The inspection raid was carried out with help from the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and the Jeddah Police. Recommend: New table of labor law violations and penalties
During the inspections, authorities discovered that the expatriates were taking legally imported Chinese smartphones and turning them into phones with the logos of two well-known brands. They did this by reprogramming the devices and adding brand stickers, planning to sell them as original products.
The Ministry of Commerce continues to take action against violations of the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, which covers deception and fraud against consumers. The law includes penalties of up to three years in prison, fines of up to SR1 million, or both. It also allows for publicizing the violations and deporting the workers involved. Most Viewed: MOH summons doctor for violating medical ethics
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| Three Expats Arrested, Counterfeit Smartphone Operation Exposed |
