500,000 fake items seized in Abu Dhabi
abu dhabi — Nearly 500,000 fake and pirated items including auto parts, designer clothes and shoes, cosmetics and food stuff were seized across Abu Dhabi in 2016.
The Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday said they confiscated 495,915 counterfeit vehicle parts, cosmetics, medicines, children’s playing tools, electric appliances, tobacco, foodstuffs and other items worth Dh22.4 million from traders.
885 items of clothing and 780 pairs of shoes were handed to the Emirates Red Crescent’s Keeping Grace Project to be given out to poor and needy people.
Officials said the fake products were seized during 60 inspection raids and 6,436 field visits last year in joint campaigns by the municipalities of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and Waste Management Centre Abu Dhabi.
All items that were not donated to charity were destroyed.
Mohammed Al Mansouri, acting executive director of the department’s Abu Dhabi Business Centre said: “These campaigns were part of the annual plan performed by the department last year to combat commercial fraud across Abu Dhabi...and discovered several new practices and techniques followed by some store owners.”
The official noted that the department would carry out more inspections and continue to respond to complaints from consumers and trademark owners.
“Any establishment caught committing commercial fraud would face fines and closure,” said Al Mansouri. Consumers and trademark owners have been told to contact the department through the call centre on 800555 to report any shops or individuals involved in commercial fraud.