Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday issued Law No. 5 of 2017 which regulates dealing in subsidised commodities. The law stipulates jail and hefty fine for dealing in subsidised commodities without a licence from the authorities concerned as per Article 3 of the law.
The law defines subsidised commodities as food and fodder subsidised by the state. Dealing in subsidised commodities means selling, storing, filling, packaging, transferring or distributing these items.
According to Article 11, it is prohibited for the beneficiaries of subsidised commodities to resell the products after buying from authorized distribution centers, showcase for sale, or deal in any other way that violates the provisions of this law.
Article 12 has banned export of subsidised commodities out of country for any reason. It is also prohibited to import any subsidised commodity without taking permission from the authority concerned.
Article 16 stipulates punishment – jail for maximum one year or fine worth QR 500,000 or both, for violating any provision of Articles 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the law.
In case of repetition of the violation mentioned in the above articles, the punishment will be tougher.
Article 20 stipulates that employees of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce armed with judicial powers will catch and probe the crimes that come under the provisions related to violation of this law, based on the decision of the Attorney General with approval of the Minister. Inspectors are allowed to enter in commercial outlets, stores and all non-residential places any time for investigation.
Employees armed with judicial powers are allowed to confiscate the suspected products that come under violations specified in Article 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12 or shift them to the stores of the authorities concerned till completion of the probe and the case will be referred to the Public Prosecution within a week at the maximum.
Article 9 prohibited certain activities for those holding licences for dealing in subsidised commodities. They are banned from selling such commodities in quantities weighing less than that specified by the relevant department. It is not allowed to replace them with commodities of lower quality to make profit from the difference in prices.
The law bans mixing them with other products to change their composition with the intent of trading in them.
It is not allowed to refuse to sell the commodities or to sell them in quantities that exceeds the specified limits.
Hiding the commodities or shutting the store for the purpose of not selling them or promoting certain commodities are also banned.
The dealers are not permitted to associate their sale to that of another commodity, suspend their sale in a way that violates the provisions of the law or sell /store them outside the licensed place.
The law bans selling the commodities to non-beneficiary segments unless licensed to do that as well as exporting them abroad.
