DUBAI: A total of 95 seizures of fake products worth Dh38.4 million were carried out by Dubai Customs inspectors during the first half of 2016. The seized goods included fake watches, sunglasses, electronics, auto spare parts, textiles, bags and footwear, they said.
The smuggling of counterfeit goods has been on a downward trend in the past two years, as Dubai Customs is playing a primary role in stopping the movement of fake goods and all attempts that violate intellectual property rights (IPR). IPR protection in Dubai is crucial in light of the UAE’s orientation to unleash the spirit of creativity and innovation in government work and to provide all means of support to creative minds and talented people, in line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“Dubai Customs is committed to protecting consumers from the health and environmental risks of counterfeit goods and stands firmly against all attempts to violate intellectual property rights. We deploy advanced technologies in inspection, and offer constant support to our staff which make inspection procedures more streamlined and faster,” said Saeed Al Tayer, executive director of Policies and Legislation Division at Dubai Customs.
“Dubai Customs works closely with other government agencies as well as the private sector to crack down on counterfeiting, thus, ensuring investors can optimise their returns from selecting Dubai as home for their operations,” he added. Yousuf Ozair Mubarak, director of IPR Department at Dubai Customs, said Dubai Customs is keen on promoting awareness of intellectual property rights among new generations, through its Annual Award for intellectual property rights at universities and schools.
The award includes six categories — best awareness campaign, best website, best innovation or invention to protect intellectual property rights, participation in the Award through writing a book or a story about these rights, participation through a short play highlighting the risks of counterfeit goods, and preparing a short film on intellectual property rights. Dubai Customs has partnered with the 2016 International Children’s Film Festival.
In cooperation with the festival’s organising committee, they have launched an award for the best awareness movie on intellectual property rights filmed and produced by children. Moreover, the IPR Department in Dubai Customs is organising awareness workshops for cruise travellers to educate them on intellectual property rights and the risks of using counterfeit products. The IPR Director at Dubai Customs said that awareness workshops during the current cruise season — from November 2015 till May 2016 — totalled 22 workshops.
