Interpol Cracks Down on Counterfeiting in the Middle East

Acording to Gulf Today, at the 3rd Convention for Combating Intellectual Property Crimes, police in Dubai said they have been successful in cracking down on the distribution and sale of counterfeit products in the Middle East.

According to Michael Ellis, Assistant Director at Interpol, $176 million worth of counterfeits have been globally confiscated this year and approximately 6,000 individuals have been charged.

Ellis emphasized the significance of seizing counterfeit products in Dubai, explaining that, “While production is made in China, distribution to the rest of the world is mainly done through this commercial, well-positioned city.”

In Dubai, $3.2 million worth of counterfeit products were seized from 168 operation sites between January and September of 2013. A total of $13 million worth of goods were confiscated in Dubai from 750 different seizures in 2011 and 2012,
Abdul Aziz Abdullah, Assistant Director for the National Commercial Bank for the Middle East and North Africa, said, “constant coordination, effective collaboration, data sharing and networking among the international police (Interpol) and officials working on curtailing counterfeit goods, is needed.”

The Convention for Combating Intellectual Property Crimes is a two-day workshop organized by the Dubai Police and hosted by the Emirates Intellectual Property Association under Dubai Customs.