ABU DHABI // Hundreds of items of fake designer clothes and shoes seized by authorities as part of a clampdown on counterfeit goods have been donated to poor families.
About 885 items of clothing and 780 pairs of shoes were handed to the Emirates Red Crescent’s Keeping Grace Project to be distributed to people in need.
They were among 500,000 counterfeit vehicle parts, cosmetics, electric appliances, tobacco and foodstuffs and other items worth Dh22.4 million confiscated by the Department of Economic Development.
The fakes were seized during 60 inspection raids and 6,436 field visits last year in joint campaigns by the municipalities of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi Quality & Conformity Council and Waste Management Centre Abu Dhabi.
Items that were not donated to charity were destroyed.
“These campaigns were part of the annual plan performed by the department last year to combat commercial fraud across Abu Dhabi,” said Mohammed Al Mansouri, acting executive director of the department’s Abu Dhabi Business Centre.
Mr Al Mansouri said the department would launch more inspection raids and continue to respond to complaints from consumers, the public and trademark owners to preserve their intellectual property rights.
“The campaigns discovered several new practices and techniques followed by some store owners,” said Mr Al Mansouri, stressing that any establishment that committed commercial fraud would face fines and closure.
Consumers and trademark owners are encouraged to contact the department through the government call centre on 800555 to report any shops or individuals involved in commercial fraud.
Last month, officials in Sharjah seized fake goods worth Dh5 million while in Dubai authorities said they destroyed millions of counterfeit mobile phones, cigarettes, cosmetics and other items worth Dh1.6 billion.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
