TEHRAN - Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the Iranian Judiciary spokesman, announced on Sunday that certain individuals have been arrested and a number of companies closed down over price violations in the cellphone market.

“Documents have been found that show a number of serious violations have been made” in the cellphone market, he said during a press conference.

According to a list published recently by the Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, certain companies which had received foreign currency at the official rate to import cellphones sold their goods at a high price by taking advantage of the value of dollar and other currencies at the black market.

The official rate for dollar is 4200 tomans.

Mohseni Ejei said the Judiciary chief has ordered the Tehran prosecutor to immediately appoint special investigators to deal with those who have disrupted the foreign currency and cellphone markets and also those companies which used foreign currencies at official rate to import luxurious automobiles.

The Telecommunication Ministry announced last month that it would take strong action to control cellphone prices and crack down on opportunists.

“People are not defenseless in cellphone market and the government support people not to be victim of opportunists who rip people off,” Azari Jahromi said at the time.

As the Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the U.S. dollar in the unofficial market many opportunists took unfair advantage of the chaotic conditions and overcharged people for electronic devices, such as cellphones.

The Judiciary spokesman also said the person, who is known as the “king of gold coin”, had been arrested some five years ago but was released upon a request by the central bank.

Recently, police said the “king of gold coin”, named Hamid Mazlomin, has been detained with gold coins weighing 2.5 tons.

NA/PA