Almost 15,000 counterfeit products seized in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi // Thousands of counterfeit products have been seized in raids throughout the emirate.
Inspectors from the Department of Economic Development's commercial protection division found 14,855 fake or illegal products in 39,472 visits during the second quarter of the year, the state news agency Wam reported.
The inspections led to 365 charges for flouting commercial regulations, and 698 warnings for first offenders.
More than half of the breaches were in Abu Dhabi city. Others were in Mussaffah, Bida Zayed, Shahama, Liwa, Al Wathba and Gayathi.
The commercial protection division is part of the Abu Dhabi Business Centre.
"Abu Dhabi Business Centre is dedicated to tracing all negative practices that would affect the performance of the business environment in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and eliminating them," said Mohammed Al Rumaithi, acting director of commercial affairs at the centre.
Mr Al Rumaithi said the seizures marked the department's continuing fight against commercial fraud.
He said the department would continue to hold campaigns to educate the public on counterfeit goods.
Inspectors will be given further training on how to distinguish between original and fake products.
jbell@thenational.ae