Number of counterfeit goods seized in Dubai doubles to 11 million

According to the latest figures from the Dubai Department of Economic Development, 11 million counterfeit goods were found during inspections between January and September of this year. This compares with around 5.5 million in the whole of 2012.

DUBAI// The amount of fake goods seized in the emirate has doubled in a year thanks to an increase in inspections.

Eleven million counterfeit items were found between January and September this year – up from 5.5 million in the whole of last year, according to figures from the Dubai Department of Economic Development.

More than 2,000 raids have been carried out by Dubai Customs over the past five years, with goods worth about Dh200 million seized.

“We work with trademark holders who inform us of potential violations and we then investigate,” said Yussif Al Kaj Al Hashemi, head of the Intellectual Property department at Dubai Customs.

“We take samples and then send them to the criminal lab. If they are found to be fake we confiscate them.”

Mr Al Hashemi was speaking during a panel discussion on the final day of the first Intellectual Property Forum at Jumeirah Beach Hotel on Thursday.

The increased number of fake goods seized is posing a problem for authorities who confiscate them.

“We do destroy some of the fake goods we find and try to recycle others but it has to be done in a way that is not harmful to the environment or people in the emirate,” said Hind Mahmoud Ahmed, head of the environmental planning and studies section of Dubai Municipality.

The conference was told that a balance had to be struck between destroying fake goods and sending them back to their country of origin.

“We don’t want the UAE to be a dumping ground for fake goods and we need to make sure that when the goods are re-exported they return to the country of origin,” said Ahmed Al Awadhi, senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel at Jebel Ali Free Zone.

“It is difficult because once the ships leave our territorial waters then the container owners can decide to send them to a different country.”

Mr Al Awadhi said brand and trademark owners should play a more active role in making sure such goods did not return to the UAE.

Ibrahim Ahmed Behzad, section head of field inspections at the Department of Economic Development, said inspectors carried out raids all year round.

“We work very closely with brand owners and since conducting inspections particularly of warehouse we have seen 11 million fake goods seized,” he said.

Omar Shteiwi, chairman of the Brand Owner’s Protection Group, called for closer collaboration between government agencies and brand owners.

Earlier in the day, delegates heard how intellectual property rights were an accepted part of Sharia.

“A thief is a thief under Islam and it does not matter what type of thing is stolen,” said Dr Sheikh Omar Abdel Kafi, director of the Quranic Studies Centre, which is associated with the Dubai International Award for the Holy Quran in the UAE.

“As Muslims we have an obligation not to be deceptive in this regard.”

Muddassir Siddiqui, president of Shariah Path Consultants, who has worked with various governments to create Sharia-compliant laws, said a balance had to be struck.

“People have the right to have their intellectual property protected but at the same time the consumer also has the right to expect the product at a reasonable price,” he said.

Countries also have to be careful to ensure the laws used are relevant to their needs.

“The needs of advanced countries in relation to intellectual property rights is different to the needs of a developing country,” Mr Siddiqui said.

“There is also flexibility in what can be protected so, for example, if someone came up with a new IP for whisky that would not be allowed due to restrictions on the consumption of alcohol.

“However, alcohol can be used in relation to medicinal purposes so if someone developed an IP for that it would be protected.”