Over 25m fake products seized in UAE every year
dubai — At least 25 million counterfeit products are seized in the UAE every year, an official has said, urging the public to know their rights when purchasing a product.
Hatem Abdelghani, director of the intellectual property department at Legal Group, said cosmetics and bodycare products were among the most common counterfeit items seized in the country.
“Cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste and deodorants top the list of fake items because they are fastselling with big public demand,” said Abdelghani on the sidelines of Intellectual Property Training, which was organised to teach government employees how to spot fake items.
The Dubai Economic Development (DED), the Dubai Customs and the Dubai Police participated in the training.
“We have been collecting hundreds of thousands of counterfeit toothpaste lately. It’s dangerous, such products are threats to human health and safety,” he said.
Fake auto parts and airbags, for example, pose risks to motorists’ life, Abdelghani added.
He said Legal Group, which represents over 500 international brands, works with authorities in the UAE and arranges up to 700 raid actions annually.
He confirmed that the number of raids performed for cosmetics are much higher than those done for other items, including bags, leather products, garments, auto parts and electronics.
“About 30,000 pieces are confiscated in every raid,” Abdelghani said. The circulation of products on social media has also expanded the scope of the counterfeit trade, Abdelghani added. He also urged customers to choose and buy items wisely.
“Refer to trusted sources, big supermarkets and original brands in buying the right product that will not harm your health,” he said.
Know your rights
While it isn’t easy for the average customer to spot a counterfeit, the public must know their rights when purchasing a product.
Abdelghani said traders of fake items will never give a warranty or an invoice.
“If a seller refuses to give a price, invoice or warranty for an item, then it’s fake,” said Abdelghani.
Basic errors, such as a change in the product’s packaging, colour and the brand’s fonts, also undermine a product’s authenticity.
Abdelghani said the habit and culture of shopping should change among people. “A 10 per cent discount shouldn’t be a sufficient reason to buy from a place that isn’t trusted.”
More dangerously, he said, some traders often mix the original with fake items, usually reducing the value of the product by 50 to 60 per cent. The quality of fake items also differ from one trader to another.
“All items, from toothpastes, sprays to electronics, auto parts and even medicines, could be fake,” he said.
Crackdown
Authorities have been cracking down on counterfeit items across the country. Over 26 million fake goods worth Dh1.19 billion were destroyed in Dubai in March this year.
Thousands of counterfeit watches, mobile phones and accessories, valued at Dh33 million, have also been seized in June.
The Dubai Customs have conducted 130 raids in the first half of 2018, confiscating products with an estimated value of Dh35.523 million. Forty-three awareness workshops were also organised during this period.
The Dubai Economic Development seized over Dh280 million worth of fake goods and shut down over 6,800 Instagram accounts for selling counterfeits online during the first half of 2017.
Discounts shouldn’t be a sufficient reason to buy from a place that isn’t trusted. All items, from toothpastes to electronics and even medicines, could be fake.”
Hatem Abdelghani, director of intellectual property department, Legal Group
Worth of counterfeits were destroyed in March this year