Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RIYADH1870
2008-12-29 14:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SAUDIS CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL VENDORS
how-toVZCZCXRO6070 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #1870 3641423 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291423Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9702 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001870
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/IPE AND NEA/ARP
USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN
USDOC FOR TYLER HOFFMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV KIPR PGOV SA
SUBJECT: SAUDIS CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL VENDORS
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001870
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/IPE AND NEA/ARP
USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN
USDOC FOR TYLER HOFFMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV KIPR PGOV SA
SUBJECT: SAUDIS CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL VENDORS
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) On December 28, Econoff met with Scott Butler, CEO of
the Arab-Anti Piracy Alliance, and Ayman Takrori, Partners
Group Director of Microsoft Arabia. Butler and Takrori
related details of a meeting they had the previous day with
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Information
Abdul Rahman Al-Hazzaa and Chairman of the Intellectual
Property Committe at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Mohammad Al-Aiyash. Butler told Econoff that Al-Hazzaa
committed in the meeting to conducting raids "non-stop" on
vendors that sell pirated or counterfeit goods.
2. (C) In the course of Econoff,s meeting Takrori received a
phone call from "a colleague" reporting that the "Al-Dosari
shop in the Haraj neighborhood of Riyadh" had been raided the
day before, and shut down. According to the colleague, a
sign placed on the door of the shop read, "Closed by the
Ministry of Culture and Information for Distribution of
Illegal Goods."
3. (C) In a December 29 telcon, Econoff confirmed with
Al-Hazzaa that the shop had indeed been shut down and that an
investigation of the proprietors had begun. Al-Hazzaa also
said the shop included a storage facility and the Saudi
government seized over thirty-thousand counterfeit items.
4. (C) Comment: The SAG has talked extensively about
cracking down on illegal vendors but, to date, this is the
first example we know of the SAG actually closing a shop,
demonstrating the SAG's increasing commitment to take
decisive action. Continued raids and investigations of
illicit manufacturers, traders, and vendors will increase the
level of fear in the market and could help further reduce the
sale of pirated goods in Saudi Arabia. End comment.
RUNDELL
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/IPE AND NEA/ARP
USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN
USDOC FOR TYLER HOFFMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV KIPR PGOV SA
SUBJECT: SAUDIS CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL VENDORS
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) On December 28, Econoff met with Scott Butler, CEO of
the Arab-Anti Piracy Alliance, and Ayman Takrori, Partners
Group Director of Microsoft Arabia. Butler and Takrori
related details of a meeting they had the previous day with
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Information
Abdul Rahman Al-Hazzaa and Chairman of the Intellectual
Property Committe at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Mohammad Al-Aiyash. Butler told Econoff that Al-Hazzaa
committed in the meeting to conducting raids "non-stop" on
vendors that sell pirated or counterfeit goods.
2. (C) In the course of Econoff,s meeting Takrori received a
phone call from "a colleague" reporting that the "Al-Dosari
shop in the Haraj neighborhood of Riyadh" had been raided the
day before, and shut down. According to the colleague, a
sign placed on the door of the shop read, "Closed by the
Ministry of Culture and Information for Distribution of
Illegal Goods."
3. (C) In a December 29 telcon, Econoff confirmed with
Al-Hazzaa that the shop had indeed been shut down and that an
investigation of the proprietors had begun. Al-Hazzaa also
said the shop included a storage facility and the Saudi
government seized over thirty-thousand counterfeit items.
4. (C) Comment: The SAG has talked extensively about
cracking down on illegal vendors but, to date, this is the
first example we know of the SAG actually closing a shop,
demonstrating the SAG's increasing commitment to take
decisive action. Continued raids and investigations of
illicit manufacturers, traders, and vendors will increase the
level of fear in the market and could help further reduce the
sale of pirated goods in Saudi Arabia. End comment.
RUNDELL