The Intellectual Property Rights Department at Dubai Customs recycled 23,000 counterfeit items for international brands with a street value of AED1.4 million. The initiative is a part of the department’s efforts to combat piracy and support sustainable development.

Recycling counterfeit goods helps brand owners get rid of copied products and thereby avoid piracy of various such products.

According to WAM, this kind of recycling is in line with the strategies of the UAE Green Agenda as it reflects the coherent partnership between Dubai Customs and its partners towards a greener and safer life and environment.

"Our dedicated efforts to develop cooperation with the Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG) to combat counterfeiting have had great results," said Yousef Mubarak, the Director of IPR Department at Dubai Customs.

He added, "We are not only fighting counterfeit products, but we have also gone a step further by recycling these items and protecting the environment from their hazards. This helps brand owners maintain fair access to the local and international markets without facing unfair competition from this rogue industry. Recycling of counterfeit items is increasing, and brand owners register their trademarks at Dubai Customs to protect their genuine products."

In 2021, Dubai Customs made around 390 intellectual property seizures that involved 1,764,710 counterfeit items. All the counterfeit items, which illegally bear the names of 228 brands, were recycled.

Mubarak pointed out that cooperation with brand owners is not limited to recycling counterfeit goods. The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Department enhances its engagement and participation in workshops organised internally to teach inspectors and customs officers the latest methods used in counterfeiting.

Dubai Customs organised 29 awareness workshops last year, which saw the participation of 2,413 stakeholders, 437 trademarks, and 189 trade agencies.

Recycled counterfeited goods included women’s bags, watches, accessories and clothes, which bear the names of famous international brands.

Frank Eggman, Swiss Consul-General to Dubai; Peter Mehravari, U.S. Intellectual Property Attaché for the Middle East and North Africa; Jonathan Hawthorne and Garry Mackavel, Fiscal crime Liaison Officers at the British Embassy; Muath Al Mazimi, Economic Affairs Expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Yousef Al Hashimi, Director of Sea Customs Centres Management; Mohammed bin Nassir, Head of IPR Dispute Section; Mohammed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Senior Manager of Cargo Village; Khawla bin Theeban, Senior Communication, and Partnership Officer; and Juma Al-Mutawa, Head of Air Cargo Centres team attended the recycling session.

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