Mansour Al-Shihri Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior has instructed all governorate offices in the Kingdom to take firm measures against violators who sell prepaid mobile SIM cards to people without legal identification documents in total disregard for the country's telecommunication regulations. The measures include prosecution of the violators, closure of shops and deportation of expatriate workers. The new instructions came in a ministry circular sent to the governorates. It said no one is allowed to sell prepaid SIM cards and unlicensed telecommunication devices in violation of the regulations. “Whoever does this is considered a clear violator of the telecommunications regulation issued according to the royal decree No. M/12 dated 4/6/2001 and the directives issued in this regard,” the circular said. In addition to prosecuting the violators, the penalties include seizure of the SIM cards and electronic devices involved. Following investigations shops found guilty of violating the rules will be closed down and their expatriate workers will be deported after ensuring that there are no cases pending against them. The Riyadh governorate, represented by the Security Affairs Agency through the Standing Committee for Combating Technological Crimes, has started implementing the circular by carrying out surprise inspection tours at malls and shops selling telecommunication devices. The raids are carried out in cooperation with other security bodies. A number of big malls in Riyadh have witnessed extensive campaigns that resulted in the closure of several shops found selling prepaid cell phone numbers already registered with the iqama numbers or the numbers of Saudi identity cards of unknown people. The enforcement of the regulations came as a big relief to subscribers of telecommunication services who said the move would prevent the sale of SIM cards from spurious sources. They said such cards might be used to harm others or violate people's privacy. In another development, the Saudization Committee in Riyadh is targeting shops selling and repairing mobile telephones. Spokesman for the Passport Department Col. Badr Al-Malik said the passport police in Riyadh have arrested 152 expatriates for violating residency regulations during an inspection campaign in three commercial complexes selling telecommunication devices.
