DUBAI // Dubai Customs seized a three-ton cargo of counterfeit goods yesterday.
The cargo, which was shipped from an unnamed Asian country, contained fake handbags, glasses and watches by international brands including Hermes, Apple, Gucci, Rolex and Nokia.
Customs officials inspected the large cargo after noticing the declaration form only listed mobile phones.
According to Omer Al Mehairy, the senior air cargo operations manager at Dubai Customs, the size of the cargo was too large for a shipment of mobile phones.
"...The huge cargo aroused [the customs officers'] doubts, and so they detained it and referred samples of the products to the Intellectual Property Department where the products after having been tested found to be counterfeited products for international trademarks registered in the country", Mr Al Mehairy said.
Mr Al Mehairy said Dubai Customs confiscated the goods and have referred the owner of the shipment to the legal department for further action.
The owners of the trademarks were notified of the matter and have accordingly lodged complaint, he said.
Dubai Customs had 234 counterfeit seizures in the first half of 2011 compared to 336 in the same period last year.
