12 million fake mobile phones and accessories seized in Dubai

  DUBAI – Millions worth of fake mobile phones and accessories were seized by Dubai authorities in a span of nine months. The seizure is proof to the large scale of fake trade in Dubai where Department of Economic Development in Dubai (DED) officials said it reached Dhs327 million. Among those that were confiscated include 222,996 fake and refurbished mobile phones and 12.5 million accessories such as replacement batteries, chargers, headphones and screens. These are often sold in market stalls and on the streets. Ibrahim Behzad, the Head of Intellectual Property Rights division at DED said a workshop inside a villa renewed old phones and sell them as if they were new. He added that when they raided it with the help of the Dubai Police's Anti-Economic Crime Department, they seized more than 26,000 phones and 1.3 million fake phone accessories. "Specialised teams have been conducting regular campaigns and random inspections at warehouses in Dubai, imposing penalties on violators and destroying confiscated goods. Our efforts forced them to change their ways to hide their products," Behzad also added. In one major raid this year, DED has seized more than Dhs30 million worth of counterfeit mobile phones and accessories were found. Previously, DED officials and police have seized fake iPhone and Samsung models, which could pose danger when charged. Other than mobile phones, Behzad said they continue to seize luxury handbags despite elaborate attempts of smugglers to hide and smuggle them. In one raid, at least 5,000 counterfeit bags were found hidden behind a huge fish tank at a retailer in Dubai International city.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