Dubai Customs recently foiled a bid to smuggle over 48 thousand counterfeited video games CDs which were hidden in cartoon boxes at the Dry Port Inspection Center. The haul which was heading from an Arab port has an original value of AED 5 million.
The seizure was performed when Dubai Customs staff at Dry Port inspected the container heading from the Arab port, which was listed as Customs Import Declaration for a local company, and found 48 boxes containing the duplicated video games CDs for PlayStation.
Announcing the seizure coincides with GITEX 2010 confirming Dubai Customs keenness to maintain IPR
An official source at the Land Cargo Operation at Dubai Customs stated that the inspectors are well aware of the techniques implemented to uncover the different smuggling attempts due to the internal workshops and specialized training courses they receive in the field of combating commercial fraud. The source added that Customs inspectors await for any smuggling attempt or violation which might threaten the national, social and economic security.
Announcing the seizure coincides with GITEX Exhibition 2010 confirming Dubai Customs keenness to maintaining Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in all sorts and types including the rights of the programs and technical products’ producers. The Department seeks to be the gateway to Dubai’s prosperity and protect the UAE as well as its regional and international surroundings from the forbidden, counterfeited and illegal goods by making use of the fully advanced and developed infrastructure of Dubai as well as the massive logistic capabilities available in the field of cargo and transportation inline with the laws and regulations that ensure maintaining IPR.
Sony commends Customs inspectors’ vigilance in prohibiting entry of counterfeited CDs and avoiding big losses
Ms. May El Husseiny, Marketing Manager of PlayStation Division, Sony Gulf FZE applauded Dubai Customs for their vigilance in seizing the large quantity of pirate video games which could have caused great losses to the company. She said:" Customs has continuously proven their resolve in being an excellent first line of defense at illegal importation which increases our confidence in protecting our products from smuggling and counterfeit. We appreciate the opportunity to provide support to Customs through their quality training program so that we can help the inspectors in distinguishing between our original products and the counterfeited ones.”
According to the statistics issued by the IPR Department at Dubai Customs, there were three seizures of counterfeited CDs in the first half of 2010 as compared to five attempts during the first half of 2009. The decrease in the number of attempts reflects on smugglers’ hesitation towards committing such crimes due to Customs inspectors’ proficiency and experience in foiling these attempts as well as vigilance in protecting the economy and IPR from the entry of duplicated goods into the UAE leading to the drop in number of the smuggling attempts in the first half of 2010.
It is worth noting that inspectors at Dubai Customs receive professional training in intensive workshops to introduce them to the methods of identifying counterfeited items in order to prevent their entry into the UAE. Inspectors play a major role in putting a stop to smuggling operations and uncovering customs violations smugglers attempts to commit through land, sea or air.