Jeddah Mayoralty dismantles illegal markets in major simultaneous crackdown

JEDDAH — The Jeddah Mayoralty, through its Agency for Branch Municipalities and affiliated municipalities, has intensified simultaneous field inspection campaigns to combat negative practices across several neighborhoods and locations within the governorate. The campaign resulted in dismantling a number of illegal markets and seizure of food items unfit for human consumption. The campaigns were carried out, in coordination with the relevant authorities, as part of a unified inspection plan targeting illegal markets, street vendors, and violations related to food handling and storage. The campaigns covered the removal of an illegal market located south of the livestock market in southern Jeddah, which was being used for the trading and sale of used garments. The site was completely removed in coordination with the competent authorities. In the area of food safety, the Branch-Municipalities Agency, represented by the General Directorate for Monitoring and Addressing Negative Phenomena, conducted a campaign after completing the necessary legal procedures and obtaining permission from the Public Prosecution. The campaign resulted in the seizure of two illegal sites used to store rotten meat of unknown origin. The operation was carried out in coordination with the Jeddah Police, Ministry of Commerce, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Zakat, Customs and Tax Authority, and Civil Defense. The Airport Municipality also conducted a joint campaign in Safa and Bawadi districts, resulting in the seizure and confiscation of approximately two tons of non-compliant food and goods. The campaign involved the Traffic Department, Field Control, Security Patrols, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Missions Security, Ministry of Human Resources, and the Street Vendors Committee. In the Buraiman Municipality, a similar inspection campaign in the same district resulted in the seizure and confiscation of large quantities of non-compliant food and goods, with the necessary legal measures subsequently taken. These simultaneous campaigns form part of a unified field inspection plan implemented across the branch municipalities, aimed at intensifying oversight efforts and curbing the activities of street vendors, illegal markets, and other violations that typically increase during weekends.