A friendly reminder to all shoppers: before you buy, make sure that the items are original! Over the past nine months, Abu Dhabi Police have seized more than AED 100 million worth of counterfeit products, including 31 prestigious brands, the Emaratalyoum Newspaper reported.
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So far, more than 1.3 million items have been seized by the Abu Dhabi Police, including: accessories, bags, clothing, gold jewellery, medical equipment, oil for vehicles, perfume, shoes, sunglasses, wallets, watches, and other products — all of which carried fake “warranties.”
Abu Dhabi Police Seize Over 1.3 Million Counterfeit Goods
According to the Acting Director of Criminal Security Department, Brigadier Mohammad Suhail Al Rashid, the counterfeit products were seized during raids at shops in the region. Cases were addressed by the Economic Crimes Branch of the Criminal Investigations Department.
Al Rashid cautioned the public against buying fake goods. He explained that aside from harming the reputation of international companies, these products are often hidden in secret storage, which may eventually cause fire and other safety hazards to the consumer.
Moreover, he reminded all consumers to:
- Buy goods from authorized sellers only;
- Beware of fake items with logos similar to the original; and
- Verify the authenticity of all products before buying them.
To address the issue, Abu Dhabi Police is calling on all companies to report cases of counterfeit products to concerned authorities. Ultimately, the police force aims to protect the rights of the business sector as well as the safety of all consumers.
If you happen to encounter anyone selling counterfeit goods, or if you unknowingly purchased a product that turned out to be fake — please do not hesitate to report to the authorities! You can also download the Dubai Consumer app, which you can use for this very purpose.
