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Dubai: In what is believed to be the biggest counterfeit auto-parts raid in the Gulf, police recently confiscated Dh36.7 million worth of fakes.
The counterfeit products - including Dh3.67 million worth of fake General Motors goods - were stored in an Umm Al Quwain warehouse. Oil filters, air filters, brake pads, pistons and clutches were among parts included in the haul.
General Motors in Dubai and their legal representatives, Al Shaali, had earlier told UAQ police about counterfeit products being stored in an UAQ warehouse. They were professionally branded and packed, ready to be exported. Some of the products were packed in GM-stamped boxes or had stamps from GM-subsidiary companies. Other packages had stamps of other multinational brands.
"The count revealed there were about 100,000 GM counterfeit products, including packages with GM stamps and company subsidiaries.
"After reporting this to the UAQ public prosecution, a search warrant was issued.
"UAQ police checked the identity of the warehouse owner. Law enforcement officers then raided the warehouse and confiscated the counterfeit products. The products were ready to be exported. There was Dh3.67 million worth of GM fake products," Salim Al Shaali, GM's lawyer, told Gulf News.
The rest of the products were from other multinational brands. Investigations are still continuing and the case will be referred to the UAQ public prosecution. "The raid resulted in one of the largest confiscation of counterfeit auto parts in the region. Our team has been working very closely with UAQ police and the customs authorities. The authorities' alertness and decisiveness in combating such a crime has been successful," Al Shaali said.
The profusion of counterfeit auto parts in this region is a serious threat to manufacturers and retailers, Joe Elenz, after-sales director of GM Middle East told Gulf News. "More importantly, they endanger the lives of consumers because they are often produced from substandard materials that don't hold up or perform like genuine parts.
"There have been a number of instances where counterfeit parts, such as brake pads, have failed at extremely inopportune moments.. "GM has worked together with the authorities in all GCC countries, including the UAE, to help train customs officials more easily to identify counterfeit auto parts. We have also conducted joint community awareness projects as well as mounting raids on counterfeit operations."
The counterfeit products Oil filters, air filters, brake pads, pistons and clutches were included fake General among the parts that were confiscated during the raid. Motors & Daewoo Motor goods worth Dh3.57 million.
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For more information:
Saada Hammad
Communications and PR Manager
General Motors Middle East
Tel: (009714) 3143350
saada.hammad@gm.com
About GM
General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, was founded in 1908 and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today employs 342,000 people and has manufacturing operations in 32 countries. Its vehicles are sold in more than 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is in Detroit .
GM has been operating in the Middle East since the early 1940's. GM's vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab support ed by a unique set of customer focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company's operations in Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , UAE, Bahrain , Qatar , Oman , Jordan , Lebanon , Syria , Yemen and Iraq .
In 2003, GM sold around 60,000 vehicles in the Middle East and the company continues to introduce pioneering programs in the region.
More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer websites www.gm.com and www.gmarabia.com |
