Large cache of more than 30,000 counterfeit electronic products worth almost AED 4 million seized by Sharjah CID in two raids. The global independent safety science company, UL in partnership with anti-counterfeit agency and local service provider Ten Intelligence provided Sharjah authorities with surveillance footage before they carried out the operation. They also provided additional evidence to assist in the operation as well as identifying counterfeit products and items that featured unauthorized trademarks.
The raids were carried out on a warehouse and a shop in Sharjah with officers confiscating a total of 30,546 illegal lithium-ion batteries, AC adaptors, chargers, keyboards, hard drives, and LCD screens among other items with a total value of AED 3,997,667.
The raid was carried out towards the end of last year and took close to 4 hours. All of the illegal products found at the warehouse and shop, which were owned by the same computer repair company based in Al Senaiyat, were confiscated and will be destroyed.
During simultaneous raids on the two premises in Sharjah, officials confiscated around 4,551 batteries, 4619 power adapters and over 11,615 security labels among other products. The operation was the latest in a series of ongoing collaborations between UL, Ten Intelligence, police and local authorities in the UAE designed to target sellers and manufacturers of illegal and dangerous counterfeit goods.
Thanks to the continued partnership with police and local authorities in the UAE, 155,530 potentially hazardous and unsafe electronic products have been removed from the market in the last four months.
Hamid Syed, Vice President and General Manager of UL Middle East, said: “The ongoing co-operation between UL, Ten Intelligence and the authorities in the UAE has had a major impact on the sale and distribution of potentially dangerous counterfeit goods across the Emirates.
“We commend the swift action of the authorities and their resolve to apprehend and prosecute counterfeiters who break the law and also applaud their determination to protect consumers from illegal counterfeit products.
“Not only are these items in breach of strict international trademark and licensing laws, they also pose a very real threat to the safety of the public who may be fooled into purchasing fakes as these products have not passed the strict and rigorous testing procedures required to ensure they are safe to use.
“We urge members of the public to always purchase legitimate and genuine products that have been tested and certified to ensure their quality and safety and to prevent the spread and sale of illegal and dangerous counterfeit goods.”
UL works closely with local and global law enforcement authorities to detect and help stem the flow of counterfeit products entering the market. It actively educates its customers and partners to be vigilant against counterfeit products.
