Emirates News Agency – Abu Dhabi Customs recalls 578 counterfeit goods worth AED2 million in Q1 2022

ABU DHABI, 9th April, 2023 (WAM) — Abu Dhabi Customs has recalled 578 counterfeit goods of international trademarks worth AED2 million that were seized by customs centers in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.

These counterfeit goods are recycled into materials that can be used in other areas, including bags and clothing, leather accessories such as watches and belts, cotton and sportswear, and some smart devices such as wired and wireless headphones.

After completing the environmental and legal requirements in the logistics area of ​​the Customs Center at Abu Dhabi Airport, the counterfeit goods that could not be recycled were destroyed in the presence of Shredex, a company specializing in recycling, and representatives of the relevant trademark owners.

Fahed Gareeb Alshamsi, Executive Director, Abu Dhabi Customs Support Services, said: “Given the UAE’s most important strategic objective to achieve global leadership in the creative sector, intellectual property protection is a top priority and innovation for Abu Dhabi Customs.

“We firmly believe that we are the first line of defense in protecting society and its economy from commercial fraud. Therefore, we are continuously working with our strategic partners to enhance our its inspection capabilities, increase efforts to prevent counterfeit goods from being smuggled into the market, increase the efficiency of Abu Dhabi customs inspectors and their ability to distinguish genuine from counterfeit products and merchandise, and foster partnerships and collaborations with trademark owners to protect safe society.

“Protecting the environment and protecting the environment from damage that is contrary to applicable environmental protection laws in the UAE by recycling counterfeit goods will educate consumers about the use or trade of counterfeit goods. This will contribute to society, the national economy and the importance of protecting intellectual property rights nature to strengthen sustainable development processes for business continuity and economic prosperity.”