3.5 tonnes of fake goods confiscated from DIP

In a crackdown on illegal hawkers infiltrating Dubai Investments Park (DIP) and neighbouring communities, over 3.5 tonnes of spurious goods were seized in a one-day campaign that was organised recently.

Additionally, cases were filed against 16 offenders, while nine illegal immigrants were also identified.

The developers teamed up with Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police to curb this growing menace that resulted in unlicensed edible food items appropriated from trucks and the back seat of cars.

Omar Mesmar, General Manager, Dubai Investments Park, said: “Over the last couple of years, we have launched several initiatives to back government authorities in their efforts to thwart unlawful operations and drug abuse.

“We are committed to supporting Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality in their drive to weed out illegal vendors from DIP and contribute to curtailing the practice of hawking in Dubai.”

He added: “One of the key takeaways from our recent operation was the learning that hawkers often target uneducated labourers looking for food and daily-use items at a bargain.

“These products are generally not subjected to inspection procedures and, therefore, pose a threat to health.”

Mesmar also said that apart from identifying the offenders, the campaign served as a community outreach opportunity to educate labourers about their rights and duties.

For this one-day operation, DIP providing full logistical support to its employees who were nominated as volunteers for detecting the hawkers.

DIP is a subsidiary of Dubai Investments PJSC, which, as of January 2012, hosts 1,060 tenants and 1,469 sub-tenants on a total leased area of 1,700 hectares.