Consumer Protection Authority raids commercial shops in North Al Batinah Governorate

Muscat: More than 50 commercial shops violating the Consumer Protection Authority’s law were raided during several inspections carried out by the authority in the Al Batinah North Governorate.

The Directorate General of Consumer Protection in North Al Batinah Governorate, represented by the Consumer Services and Market Control Department, carried out a sudden inspection campaign on shops selling tobacco, cigarettes and its derivatives, as well as groceries and ironing shops to ensure their compliance with the laws and regulations stipulated in the Consumer Protection Law, its executive regulations and issued decisions, and to detect abuses and fraudulent, imitated, and non-conforming goods.

The campaign included all the wilayats of North Al Batinah Governorate, and was carried out through 6 inspection teams of judicial police officers. It resulted in the seizure of 144 various samples of chewed, non-smoked tobacco and electronic cigarettes, the seizure of 55 violating shops, and the issuance of 36 violations. The violation charges varied between offering and selling adulterated commodities, non-compliance with recording the explanatory data on the commodity, and selling prohibited products.

This inspection campaign comes within the framework of the Directorate's efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities in North Al Batinah Governorate, especially in the tobacco sector and the risks it poses to society. Accordingly, the Consumer Protection Authority confirms that it is continuing to intensify its inspection campaigns to control violating practices.