Qatar crushed more than “50,000 forged products worth 500,000 dollars in a move meant to serve as a “warning to violators of intellectual property rights in Qatar,” reported the Gulf Times newspaper on Thursday.
The items, mostly video cassettes, also included CDs, computer floppies and video games.
“The fake goods had been confiscated by the Copyright Bureau over the last one year,” said head of the bureau, Abdullah al-Qayed, who supervised the operation, which was also attended by officials from the ministries of finance, economy and trade and the municipal affairs and agriculture.
Al-Qayed said 12 cases were pending in the court against those accused of piracy while half a dozen cases had already been discharged, according to the paper.
The operation, which coincided with the first Intellectual Property Rights Day, was the second of its kind in the Gulf state, said the paper.
"Piracy undermines the confidence of foreign investors and yesterday's operation will help instill trust in those who undertake legitimate business activities in Qatar," the official said – Albawaba.com
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