Dubai, UAE – 21 October 2020:  Dubai Customs solved 170 intellectual property disputes between January and September 2020 including 109 disputes between April and September, which was marred with the spread of the Covid-19 and lockdowns locally and internationally. 

This reflects the high level of commitment from Dubai Customs side to fight counterfeiting despite the presence of these challenges and their direct impact on inspection operations. 

“Fighting these counterfeit goods and preventing their entry into the country is very important, especially during the pandemic,” said Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department. “The damage caused by counterfeit goods to the economy, environment and even perhaps our overall quality of life should be something of a given for most people.”

Ozair added: “Perhaps Intellectual Property rights-holders are those most likely to to be impacted by this rogue industry, but in general everyone is liable to be affected by counterfeiting and piracy. We took legal action in 23 counterfeiting cases thanks to the efficiency and competency of our inspection officers who seized these goods and prevented them from entering the country. We work in tandem with all government departments in this regard, and organize workshops in coordination with the brand owners to teach our inspectors how to identify counterfeit goods in support of our national economy to attract more businesses into the country.”