RIYADH — Ministry of Commerce has shut down 12 unlicensed water bottling plants in Jeddah after detection of violations.
The bottling plants were immediately shut down, the violators were arrested, and they were referred to the relevant security authorities to complete the necessary legal procedures and enforce deterrent penalties against them.
Inspection teams, in coordination with eight government agencies, detected serious violations at these plants that posed serious risks to public health. These violations included the use of water of unknown origin in production processes, unauthorized extraction and use of the public water network, and the illegal bottling of water into containers belonging to licensed establishments.
Investigations further revealed that the operators were using bottled water sales and retail licenses as a cover for their activities. In reality, they were engaged in full-scale production, bottling, and operational processes through production lines and stations that did not comply with health regulations and requirements.
The inspections also identified multiple offenses and violations, including commercial concealment, operating without a license, failure to issue tax invoices, non-compliance with labor regulations, and breaches of water network requirements.
Source: Saudi Gazette