Abu Dhabi: Around 21 truckloads of fake auto spare parts confiscated on a single day by Abu Dhabi officials will be destroyed after completing legal procedures, officials said on Tuesday.
In the largest seizure of fake spare parts in the emirate, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) confiscated more than 500,000 pieces worth Dh15 million on Thursday, officials said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The officials raided a large auto spare parts shop and warehouse owned by an individual in Al Ain on Thursday morning and it took around 20 hours to count the number of seized products, a senior official told Gulf News.
“It was a Herculean task to transport them to ADDED’s warehouse in 21 trucks. They will be destroyed after completing the legal procedures,” said Ahmad Tarish Al Qubaisi, director of Commercial Protection Division at ADDED.
The seizure of fake spare parts of several major global vehicle brands has averted potential threat to the safety of motorists and other road users in the UAE, he said.
Fake spare parts like brake pads can cause fatal road accidents, he said. Many other fake parts like filters may cause fire and explosion in vehicles, said the representatives of automobile companies who were present at the press conference.
The officials did not reveal the identity of the accused dealer whose shop in Al Ain was closed down after the seizure of fake products. A fine and other penalties will be imposed on him after completing the investigations. “We are investigating whether he was doing retail sales or wholesale deals. Wholesale deals will attract heavier penalties,” Al Qubaisi said.
The goods were imported from a foreign country. The officials did not reveal the brand names of the fake products. “We don’t want to cause panic among customers,” they said.
Hatem Abdul Ghani, a legal consultant of automobile dealers in the UAE, told Gulf News that the seized goods were the imitations of almost 15 global brands of vehicles. “Around 50 per cent of them were of a single popular brand.”
The dealer was offering the fake goods at one-third of the price of the original products, he said.
Ali Majid Al Mansouri, ADDED chairman, said the department would continue to check commercial fraud and intensify inspection and field visits in coordination with other stakeholders. These commercial crimes negatively affect the economy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE economy in general, he said.
Khalifa Bin Salem Al Mansouri, ADDED acting undersecretary, said the department’s inspectors have wide legal powers and they regularly visit malls and consumer markets to look for any violations.
Mohammad Munif Al Mansouri, acting executive director of the ADDED’s Abu Dhabi Business Centre (ADBC), highlighted the cooperation of trademark owners of spare parts in the seizure of goods from one of the biggest warehouses in Al Ain city.
- 21 truckloads of goods confiscated
- 500,000 pieces of fake spare parts
- Dh15 million is the value of fake spare parts
Report fake products
Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has urged consumers to report fake products to the department by calling the toll-free number 800555.
“We advise consumers to always look for original auto spare parts and never compromise your safety by buying cheaper fake products,” the ADDED officials said. They said buying the product from authorised dealers is the only way to ensure its genuineness. It is difficult for a consumer to distinguish between original and fake products. Even authorised dealers often find it hard to do so because counterfeiters have become smarter these days, they said.
