Dubai: Thousands of counterfeit shampoo and toothpaste products valued at Dh8 million have been seized in Dubai.
Brigadier Salem Al Rumaithi, director of the Criminal Investigation Department of Dubai Police, said they were tipped off that a shop in Deira was selling fake products.
Following an investigation, police raided the shop and arrested the suspects.
“We laid a trap and arrested the owner but we found out that he was storing the products in a warehouse in a neighbouring emirate. We raided the warehouse and found thousands of shampoo bottles and toothpaste boxes,” Brig Al Rumaithi said.
Police said they seized 322,284 bottles and packets of fake shampoo and toothpaste products.
The owner claimed that he was planning to export them outside the UAE.
“They were fake products and we have referred the suspect to the Public Prosecution to finish the investigation,” he said.
In a separate incident, Dubai Police arrested a man who was trying to sell a large amount of gold bars for half the market price.
The man, who came on a visit visa, was selling the bars for Dh150,000 while its actual value was Dh300,000.
“We arrested him and seized the gold bars. He said that he smuggled them into the UAE, but when we checked, they weren’t gold bars but gold-plated bars,” said Lt-Col Omar Mohammad Bin Hammad, deputy director of the Anti-Economic Crime Department.
The man was referred to the prosecution to finish the investigation.
Lt-Col Bin Hammad called on people to report immediately if they come across counterfeit goods or people selling them.
“It is a global trade that affects legitimate businesses. We regularly inspect shops and warehouses to seize fake goods and raise public awareness about them,” Lt-Col Bin Hammad said.
