The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced that five cases of commercial concealment have been referred to the Public Prosecution since the issuance of Law No. 3 of 2023 regarding combating the concealment of non-Qataris practising commercial, economic, and professional activities in violation of the law. This comes from reports received by the Anti-Concealment Committee and the analysis of several commercial registrations over the past months.

The Ministry affirmed that the Anti-Concealment Committee, involving various government entities, is reviewing reports received through the Ministry’s website (www.moci.gov.qa). Moreover, legal actions are being pursued against all offenders.

The Ministry, underlining the imperative need for corrective action, emphasizes the damaging effects of commercial concealment. Most of the profits generated through concealment are funnelled outside the country, negatively impacting the national economy and contributing to a rise in incidents of commercial fraud due to the influx of poor-quality products and services.

The Ministry clarified that commercial concealment involves facilitating a non-Qatari in participating in a commercial activity prohibited by law. This entails utilising or licensing the commercial register, among other practices that lead to concealment.