Dubai Customs seizes 139 counterfeit items in H1 2014

Dubai Customs elevated its efforts in deterring counterfeit products smuggling attempts into the emirate via its relentless efforts in countering piracy and Intellectual Property Rights infringements. Whereas, the amount of accomplished IPR seizures of the H1 for this year mounted up to 139 different products with an estimated value of AED 17.6 million, including apparels, mobile phones and accessories, automotive spare parts, watches and sunglasses.

This outstanding success is attributed to the DC’s methodological and state-of-the art efforts in levering its performance at the inspection levels, seeking to identify and unravel counterfeit goods, while always surpassing the infringers ‘perfected’ faking operations. The DC resorts to the constant training of inspectors, equipping them with robust updates on this field in collaboration with trademarks owners.

The Department has always been keen on ensuring that its inspectors are taking the extra mile. Consequently, utilizing the best information technology applications; with its spearhead in-house developed “Risk Engine” system, which is primarily fed with up-to-date inputs from various resources, enabling it to identify suspected shipments at a high level of accuracy. This system did revolutionize the Customs work especially on the inspection level in a time efficient manner, bringing an added value for legitimate trade goods clearance. As well as in limiting and inhibiting any unlawful  smuggling of counterfeit goods into the country.

Meanwhile, over 84% of risk-free transactions are being assessed via the system, then electronically cleared apart from any human interference, all done in less than two minutes starting from the client’s input of their consignment data into the Customs Clearance System via the available interactive channels, such as smartphones, B2G and internet.

The mounting success Dubai Customs has attained in IPR protection also owes to effective partnerships with all concerned government entities via the unified government team which was instigated by DC with the endeavor of better aligning efforts amongst these agencies towards attaining the utmost efficiency possible, as well as through stronger partnerships with trademarks owners and their representatives who are engaged in Dubai Customs’ IPR activities.