30,000 fake items worth Dh65,810 seized in UAE

More than 30,000 pieces of counterfeit goods worth Dh65,810 were seized by the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD). The confiscated fake items included 24,634 air bag covers, 5,508 emblems for automobile companies and 44 front headers for cars.
The crackdown comes following a slew of complaints made by trademark owners and as part of the department's efforts to monitor the market while confronting all negative phenomena as well as violations.
Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, SEDD chairman, said that the department is committed to protect the market in the emirate from harmful goods and prevent circulation of counterfeits. Commercial frauds to achieve material gains at the cost of endangering people's safety will not be tolerated at all, he pointed out. The department will carry out more campaigns to banish all traders who try to make quick and illegal profits so people don't buy unsafe products, he said.
He added that the inspection campaigns will continue across all markets and establishments in the emirate to check their compliance with the rules and regulations. The SEDD chief stressed that the department will carry on its role in maintaining the integrity of the markets. All this will help ensure that no one sells or promotes any product that does not meet the stipulated guidelines and norms, he added.
Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi, deputy director of Commercial Control and Protection Department at SEDD, said that the department and its commercial officers work continuously to monitor the markets to protect them from all commercial frauds and legal violations. "SEDD will continue to play its watchdog role to end the menace of counterfeits in the market," he emphasised.
Salim Al Suwaidi asked the consumers to avoid cheap imitation goods, especially those to which they are physically exposed continuously, such as cleaning materials.
Ali Fadil, head of Protection Section at SEDD, said that the main objective of inspection campaigns is to make markets safe and counterfeits-free. Such campaigns aim to check the quality standards of products in order to provide safety to consumers as well as to preserve the rights of major companies and international brands, he added. Fadil pointed out that the department in keen on to intensify these campaigns and carry out comprehensive drives throughout the year.
He called on all consumers to contact SEDD if they come across any counterfeit product or commercial fraud by calling 80080000,  or log on to www.shjconsumer.ae , or SEDD app available through smart phones.

• Sharjah

Afkar Ali Ahmed

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com