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Etisalat monitoring online sale of illegal products

Iman A. Hafez from Etisalat’s Customer Service Department told Khaleej Times, “As a matter of standard practice, we do block Websites that include content contravening the religious, cultural, political, and moral values of the UAE. In this particular case, we will now be still more vigilant.”

He was reacting to reports that a large number of e-trade websites are allegedly marketing sex products such as ointments, edible flavoured creams, powders and a range of toys. Some of these are still easily available in shopping malls and corner supermarkets despite regular raids and seizures by inspectors from the Department of Economy and Planning in Al Ain.

In several cases these medically untested products are reportedly brought into the country by travellers returning from foreign visits. And they continue to be sold without the necessary prior approval of the UAE’s Ministry of Health, sources said.

Mohammed Khalid, in-charge of the Commercial Licenses Section of the Department of Economy and Planning, Al Ain, said the department regularly organizes inspection raids to confiscate such products and promptly refers the cases to the police and the Al Ain Public Prosecution, “but regarding the online marketing of such products there is not much that we can do.”

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