Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Misdemeanour Court has slapped a medical equipment company with a Dh1 million fine for the possession and sale of counterfeit products in the capital, a statement from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department said on Monday.
The court found three people guilty on charges of possessing, displaying and selling counterfeit medical equipment. The firm’s warehouse, where the goods were stored, has been shut down for six months and the fake products confiscated.
The case was filed after Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution received a complaint against the company.
The counterfeit medical equipment in question, the court heard, included thermometers that were manufactured unlawfully and bore trademarks of other companies.
The firm also stored drugs poorly, which made them unfit for consumption, the court said.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office investigated the complaint by summoning the defendants and assigning a medical committee to examine the devices.
Post inspections, the committee reported that the devices were fake products.
Also, many tools and medical drugs stored in the warehouse were found damaged due to a poor storage system.
The committee also found that the warehouse is not licensed and does not meet health conditions as stipulated by the law.
The absence of technical and health conditions of the stored medicines raised concerns for security and safety as well, the committee said in its report to the public prosecution.
After unearthing a series of drug, health and licensing violations, the prosecution referred the accused to the court for legal action.
The misdemeanour court of Abu Dhabi said, “The violation of the trademark law is considered a material crime whose material element is the person’s possession, and display of counterfeit goods, owned by another party.”
“The court’s documents established that the special plastic parts of the thermometer is counterfeit and unlawfully used the trademark of other company. The inspections of the committee formed by the prosecution also confirmed that trademark on the product was fake,” the court said in its judgement.
