Dubai Police seize more than Dh2.5 billion worth of fake goods

Dubai Police seized counterfeit products worth more than Dh2.5 billion in 2019.

The criminal investigation department recorded a total of 297 cases of counterfeiting and forgery during the 12-month period.

Fake versions of products including women’s bags, cosmetics, spare car parts and electronics were taken off the city’s streets under the guise of popular global brands such as Apple, Toyota and Louis Vuitton, police said.

Working with a number of partners including the Department of Economic Development, officers managed to foil hundreds of attempts by fraudsters to peddle fake goods in the emirate.

“Through inspecting stores and capturing those who are involved in counterfeiting cases, Dubai Police managed to preserve the rights of trademarks' owners and their intellectual property,” Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dubai Police said.

"More than eight specialised companies from international brands have praised the efforts of the Dubai Police in combating counterfeit products.

“These companies included Apple, Louis Vuitton, Richemont, Toyota, and Reckitt Benckiser," he said.

Through increased inspection campaigns, the authorities have made huge efforts over the past decade to tackle a global trade that damages legitimate businesses and fuels organised crime and terrorism.

According to the DED in Dubai, the value of fake goods recovered in 2018 amounted to Dh332 million.

Whenever and wherever valuable products are coming to the marketplace, they are targets for cloning by counterfeiters.

As criminals constantly seek out new methods to improve the way they replicate genuine products, consumers and businesses have suffered the consequences.

But over the past few years, UAE authorities have been utilising new technology and improved intelligence to expose criminal gangs trading billions of dirhams in counterfeit goods.

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