RIYADH: Inspection teams of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) has shut down a second factory in south Jeddah for using recycled and polluted sponges to manufacture mattresses and pillows.
Last week,the ministry closed a similar factory producing substandard mattresses and pillows in Jeddah where 10,000 such goods were confiscated from a warehouse. Simultaneously, a truck that was distributing these items in Yanbu was impounded. The sponges were collected from waste containers across the city and the products were marketed on highways to evade inspectors.
During the raid, inspectors found that workers used to fill pillow packs with recycled sponges and polyester products collected from waste containers. They would then cover them with plastic bags carrying Turkish and American brand names. The counterfeit trademarks found on the mattresses include “Sleep Jowhar,” “Star Dream” and “Super Mark.”
The counterfeit goods were seized because they posed health risks to consumers, while those responsible were summoned by the ministry for investigation and legal proceedings.
During the inspection process, MCI inspectors also seized a truck loaded with 300 mattresses to be distributed in the market. The total seizures included 500 mattresses ready for sale, as well as 350 old ones, besides machinery used for sewing the mattresses and fabrics.
The raids came as part of MCI inspection rounds implemented by the ministry on warehouses and commercial institutions to verify their regular operations, ensure the absence of fraud and manipulation practices on consumers and to eradicate the supply of counterfeit and substandard products in the market.
The ministry said in a statement it will not hesitate to impose legal penalties on offenders and those involved in fraud, which puts the health and safety of consumers at risk. It called on consumers to lodged complaints or observations through the toll free number 1900, or through the application of a commercial notification.
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