30,000 fake designer goods worth Dh6m seized in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Police confiscated 30,000 counterfeit designer goods hidden in residential apartments, one of which was altered with secret doors, passageways and hidden rooms to store illegal goods. The culprits were working out of these apartments and running an illegal trade, thinking they would go unnoticed by police and competent supervisory authorities. According to Colonel Dr. Rashid Mohammad Borshid, Head, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the goods were hidden in three apartments, in one residential building, one of which contained passageways leading to invisible storage rooms, behind wooden shelves, to stash and promote designer counterfeit goods. Colonel Borshid said: “Three Bangladeshi men were arrested and interrogated in connection with the apartments, which were all raided in a joint operation in coordination with the Department of Economic Development, after the completion of legal procedures.” He also noted that the three suspects worked separately, in legitimate shops in the same area where the suspicious apartments are located. The seized goods include handbags, wallets, watches, belts, shawls, ties, hats, pens, shoes, sunglasses, perfumes, accessories, jewellery, clothes, medicine, sexual items and supplements. Boxes printed with international brands and fake guarantees were also found in this apartment, he added. Captain Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Anti-Economic Crimes Branch Manager at the Organised Crime Section at CID, estimated the market value of the seized goods to about Dh6 million. Investigation was launched following complaints by two companies whose goods had been counterfeited. Cap. Al Mazrouei said a plan was established in coordination with Department of Economic Development (Trademark and Commercial Agencies Section), to seize the counterfeit goods bearing logos of well-known brands. Colonel Borshid warned consumers against making such purchases from unsafe sources, pointing to the security risks associated with shopping at undesignated places would mean losing certain consumer rights in case a receipt or guarantee is not provided with the purchased item. Lt. Colonel Taher Al Dhaheri, Chief of Organised Crime Section, CID, explained that the seized counterfeit goods have a short lifespan and are sold at cheap prices. The affair falls under commercial fraud, illicit practice of trade without a license and a violation of trade laws, and a violation of the intellectual property rights of the owners of the original brand name. Lt. Col. Al Dhaheri said the three suspects [M.A., 34, M.M., 32, and M.G., 45] were interrogated on suspicion of using the apartments as a hiding place to promote counterfeit goods, by accompanying potential customers from the legitimate shops where they worked to the apartments. Further investigations revealed the secret hideouts dedicated to promote counterfeit goods and deceive consumers, especially women.