Dubai: Customs officials in Dubai have uncovered an attempt to smuggle over 48,000 counterfeit PlayStation video game CDs into the country.
The haul, which was hidden in boxes, was thought to contain cartoon DVDs. It was found at the Dry Port Inspection Centre and came from the port of an Arab country. It had an original value of Dh5 million.
The goods were seized when staff inspected the container, listed as ‘customs import declaration', for a local company. They found 48 boxes containing the copied PlayStation video game CDs. A source at the Land Cargo Operation at Dubai Customs explained how inspectors there have done workshops and specialised training courses in commercial fraud and are up-to-date with all the latest smuggling techniques.
The department emphasised that it seeks to protect the UAE from all illegal goods.
Laws
The modern infrastructure of Dubai, the laws governing intellectual property rights and the cargo and transportation divisions help them to accomplish this.
May Al Hussainy, the Marketing Manager of PlayStation Division, Sony Gulf FZE applauded Dubai Customs for their vigilance. She said Sony is willing to work with customs to distinguish between original and counterfeit products.
The seizure coincided with the Gitex Exhibition 2010 in Dubai.
According to statistics from the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Department at Dubai Customs, there were three seizures of counterfeit CDs in the first half of 2010 compared to five attempts during the first half of 2009.
