JEDDAH, 30 August — Minister of Finance and National Economy Ibrahim Al-Assaf has ordered all local banks to scrutinize the bills of lading for consignments coming to the Kingdom’s airports and seaports to make sure that the shipments did not pass through Israeli ports or airports, Al-Watan reported yesterday.
The move comes as part of the Kingdom’s intensified efforts to stop clandestine entry of Israeli-manufactured commodities into domestic markets. All customs and other related departments at border cross-points, ports and airports have been instructed to take special care to make sure that no goods from forbidden sources find their way to the Kingdom. Any goods found to have passed through Israel will be seized, the minister warned.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Osama Shubokshi has started probing the reported import of some medicaments from certain European countries which were originally manufactured in Israel.
The ministry has received information that Pyroxicam, a drug used to soothe joint and muscle pains, is manufactured by an Israeli company in Kofr Saba for a Dutch company. A British company based in Leeds distributes the drug.
The Ministry of Interior had earlier instructed all agencies concerned to beef up efforts to identify Israeli products and their secret ways of entering the Kingdom. Any company found involved in violating the Kingdom’s import regulations would be dealt with severely, the ministry had warned.
Recently, the authorities in Al-Haditha border customs on the Jordan border confiscated nine cars being imported from Israel.
Meanwhile, the authorities in Jizan confiscated a number of Marino quartz watches with Israeli emblem from several shops, published reports said.
Commerce department’s inspectors also seized Mont Blanc perfumes of Israeli origin from Al-Zulfa. The officials took an undertaking from these shopkeepers that they would not sell such products in future.
