Dubai: Hundreds of bidders looking for a bargain took advantage of a three-day auction hosted by Dubai Customs and DP World to dispose of abandoned container goods not claimed by their owners.
An official told Gulf News on Wednesday that the Jebel Ali auction was the largest auction held at Dubai Jebel Ali Port.
Advertised in media in the lead-up to the event, he said, the recent auction raised Dh12.5 million.
As many as 35 different types of goods were auctioned off from rows of 533 containers with their doors open for bidders to inspect items inside.
In a statement issued by Dubai Customs, officials said the dispersement of goods was organised by Dubai Customs’ Jebel Ali & Tecom Auction Committee and included goods that “were abandoned, detained or warehoused [and] were auctioned as they were not removed from the warehouse or cleared by their proprietors at the expiration of the period.”
Yousef Al Hashmi, Director of Jebel Ali Customs Centres Management at Dubai Customs, said that “Dubai Customs’ policy concerning sale of goods by public auction is based on articles 166-171 of the Common Customs Law of the GCC States. The customs policy regulates and controls the rules for auctioning goods that are not cleared by their proprietors within the permitted period.
“Dubai Customs follows a highly transparent approach while announcing and carrying out auctions. It allows the general public to view the goods in advance and also announces the auction date and place in the official newspapers, SMS to clients and DC website,” Al Hashmi said in a statement.
Naser Al Jumairy, chairman of the Jebel Ali Auction Committee, said: “This was definitely the biggest auction for Jebel Ali Port, with over 751 bidders. The auction saw the number of attendees soar by 450% over previously-held auctions by Jebel Ali Customs Centres Management.”
Upon the expiry of the period specified by the concerned customs policy, detained goods, goods placed in public and private customs warehouses or those left out at the customs offices are sold in a public auction, after obtaining the necessary approvals for restricted goods, according to Al Jumairy.
Dubai Customs’ auctions are open to serious bidders from the UAE, GCC and the rest of the world, without any restrictions.
