Dubai: The threat of counterfeit products smuggled into Dubai is on a downward trend thanks to Dubai Government’s active measures to thwart all attempts to smuggle such goods.
Dubai Customs on Tuesday marked World Intellectual Property Day with good news about the drop in the number of seizures of intellectual property rights (IPR) infringing goods in the first quarter of 2016, which only saw 54 seizures made at a value of Dh34.4 million compared to 2015, with 135 seizures worth around Dh16.8 million.
From beauty products to health products and other household products, the danger of counterfeit products is something the entire community needs to be aware of considering the threat that they can pose to our daily lives, said Yousuf Ozair Mubarak, director of IPR Department at Dubai Customs.
These items, he said, can come in a range of disguises, this is why community awareness campaigns of IPR which are being organised by the department, are needed to protect consumers from such risks.
His comments came at a ceremony held to award university and school students for their projects that helped spread awareness about IPR.
“Some of the counterfeit goods we have seized over the years included mobile phones, electronics, cigarettes, cosmetics, detergents, and auto spare parts. All these counterfeit goods can pose great risks if they find their way into our markets. The bad chemicals found in certain products are an example of how life-threatening they could be if used.”
Mubarak said the IPR department and its 1,500 Customs inspectors are committed to protecting consumers from the health and environmental risks of counterfeits and stand firmly against all attempts to violate the rights of brand owners and intellectuals and artists.
He attributed the increase in the worth of seizures this year compared to 2015 to the kind of products smuggled. “The products had a higher value because they were mostly mobile phones and electronics. It is more important to look at the decline in the number of seizures.”
He said 70 per cent of the seizure cases in 2015 were released after investigation, because they were deemed not counterfeit. “The decline in smuggled counterfeits indicates the high level of awareness in the UAE among traders about importing high-quality goods and not counterfeits.”
Mubarak said Dubai Customs deploys advanced technologies and holds awareness workshops for inspectors in coordination with brand owners and other concerned government authorities, to show them first-hand how to detect fake items.
On World IPR day, under the motto ‘Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined” Dubai Customs honoured students, inspectors and officials for their contributions in IPR protection.
As part of an annual award, they have been holding a competition where students can organise campaigns, plays, short films, and write articles to spread awareness inside and outside schools.
Abdullah Al Khaja, executive director of Customer Management Division, said apart from organising awareness sessions on IPR protection that benefited 10,181 people, “we have extended our awareness activities to cover tourists who come to Dubai.”
Mubarak added that it is important for thousands of tourists to understand why they need to opt for quality products and not counterfeits and the laws and regulations the UAE has in place. “We want to protect consumers and also encourage creativity by supporting intellectuals to continue producing.”
