4,000 Fake Watches Seized

DUBAI — Inspectors have seized 4,000 fake watches after surprise raids at warehouses and shops in Deira.

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Published: Wed 9 Dec 2009, 11:47 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 9:27 AM

Three companies now face fines after officials from the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) raided their premises last month.

“Selling and distributing counterfeit products... are commercial fraud, and DED is taking strict action to counter fake goods,” said Mohammed Hilal Al Muroushedi, CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division at the department. The raids are part of an ongoing partnership between the DED and watchmaker Casio, the firm which tipped officials off about the shops selling the fake goods.

Since 2007, some 112,000 counterfeit Casio products have been seized and destroyed, the company said in a statement. “Casio’s commitment to targeting counterfeiters throughout the region is aimed at protecting consumers who are being tricked into purchasing products they believe to be genuine,” said Masao Koyama, brand management section manager at the Intellectual Property and Legal Department of Casio.

“Trusted brands offer guarantees on quality and peace of mind that counterfeiters cannot and will not match,” he added. The global trade in counterfeit goods is estimated at $ 780 billion and brand owners in the UAE have worked closely with various governmental organisations.

GCC governments are in discussion to introduce a Unified GCC Trade Mark Law to control cross-border counterfeiting.

martin@khaleejtimes.com


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