Dubai: The Department of Economic Development (DED) seized 200,000 counterfeit electric and plumbing products worth Dh4 million in two warehouses in Dubai.
The confiscated products bore logos of internationally known brands.
A team from the DED tracked the products from the market all the way to the warehouses. It took the team 12 hours to seize the merchandise in storage. They then fined the companies.
These efforts help in maintaining the intellectual property for brands and also protect buyers from commercial fraud.
The counterfeit items included electrical cables and plugs, and a number of electrical and plumbing products that are used in construction.
Ebrahim Bahzad, Director of the Intellectual Property Rights protection department at the DED, said the items were of very poor quality and would have posed a threat to the public when used and could cause fires.
Bahzad added that the DED carries out planned and surprise inspections to catch any fake products or people selling them. They also give out brochures to traders to inform them of the dangers of using counterfeit products.
He urged the public to not get tempted by the low prices of these products as they will not last as long as the original products and can pose a threat to their health or the environment.
People can report any cases of counterfeit products on 600545555 or through “Salaty” mobile app or on Twitter account @Dubai_consumers.
