Dubai: UAE authorities have seized and destroyed a total of Dh26 million worth of fake Toyota spare parts during a number of raids carried out in 2019 across Dubai and Sharjah, it was reported on Tuesday.
Five raids were carried out on fake car part dealers in the third quarter of this year by authorities in cooperation with Al Futtaim Motors, the exclusive Toyota distributor in the UAE.
Counterfeit parts affect vehicle longevity, reliability, value and customers’ own well-being, in addition to exposing other road users to greater dangers due to the possibility of high-risk failures..
The majority of items confiscated were serviceable goods: The confiscated items included:
- Oil filters — 34,000 items seized, worth Dh760,000
- Brake pads — 6,000 items valued at over Dh1.5 million
Why fake break pads are dangerous
Fake brake pads made out of dried grass or asbestos and other cheap counterfeit car parts not only put the driver at risk but also endanger the lives of other road users.
Fake oil filters
In addition, fake oil filters can degenerate much faster due to the poor-quality materials used and lead to major engine failure or seizure thereby resulting in expensive repairs.
Along with conducting raids and helping rid the roads of unsafe vehicles, Al Futtaim Toyota is unwavering in its fight against counterfeiters by also providing training to almost 100 Government officials in the UAE.
“Our role in ensuring customers’ safety is paramount and it is our firm commitment to protect consumers from the threat of dangerous counterfeit parts,” said Saud Abbasi, Managing Director of Al Futtaim Toyota.
“We also have a responsibility to ensure people can identify genuine parts from fake items and we will continue training official inspectors to help in this fight,” he said.
Counterfeit parts affect vehicle longevity, reliability, value and customers’ own well-being, in addition to exposing other road users to greater dangers due to the possibility of high-risk failures.
