UAE Customs seized 923,724 counterfeit goods in 2020

In 2020, nearly 923,724 counterfeit goods were seized by the UAE Customs, according to the report on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for 2020 issued by the Federal Customs Authority (FCA).

Additionally, IPR seizures by local customs departments amounted to 41 last year.

The FCA report segregated the number of seizures through sea, air, and land transport.
Through the sea, there was 70.73 per cent, followed by air transport at 19.51 per cent, and 4.88 per cent through land transport, parcels and couriers each.

Ali Saeed Matar Al Neyadi, commissioner of Customs, and Chairman of the FCA lauded the efforts by local Customs departments, especially Dubai Customs, during 2020, as its work reportedly contributed to eliminating the UAE from the US priority watchlist for IPRs, following its listing by the US Department of State recently.

Al Neyadi said that combating smuggling of counterfeit commodities and protecting IPRs are have protected society, consumers, trademark holders and the private sector against economic, commercial and social harms resulting from infringing IPRs and the stemming the distribution of counterfeit commodities.

He said, this year, the FCA launched the Consultation Council with the private sector to bolster efforts in various domains in protecting IPRs, sharing information and expertise on infringed trademarks.

The FCA has implemented 17 agreements on Customs technical cooperation and administrative assistance with the most prominent trade partners worldwide to share information and target illicit trade of goods within the global supply chain, reported state news agency WAM.

Thee UAE Customs sector convened several meetings with international partners in 2020 including the US and the EU to shore up cooperation and exchange best practices in enforcing IPRs. Over 124 training activities were conducted to increase the capabilities of Customs inspectors.

Al Neyadi added that the environmental impact of the methods used by the authority and local Customs departments to destroy and recycle seized items were based on approved environmental measures undertaken in the presence of representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Health and Environment, media, relevant stakeholders and the members of the public.