Dubai – 24 March 2022: IPR Department at Dubai Customs recycled 23,000 counterfeit items for international brands, with a street value of AED1.4m as part of their efforts in combating piracy and supporting sustainable development. Recycling counterfeit goods helps brand owners get rid of copied products, and protect the environment.

Frank Eggman, Swiss Consul General to Dubai, Peter Mehravari, U.S. Intellectual Property Attaché for Middle East and North Africa, Jonathan Hawthorne and Garry Mackavel, Fiscal crime Liaison Officers at the British Embassy, Muath Al Mazimi, Economic Affairs Expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department at Dubai Customs, Yousef Al Hashimi, Director of Sea Customs Centers Management, Mohammed bin Nassir, Head of IPR Dispute Section, Mohammed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Senior Manager of Cargo Village, Khawla bin Theeban, Senior Communication and Partnership Officer, and Juma Al Mutawa’, Head of Air Cargo Centers team attended the recycling session. 
The recycling is in line with the strategies of the UAE Green Agenda, and it reflects the coherent partnership between Dubai Customs and its partners towards a greener and safer life and environment. 

“Our dedicated efforts to develop cooperation with the Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG) to combat counterfeiting has had great results so far,” said Yousef Ozair Mubarak. “We are not only fighting combating, but we have also gone a step further by recycling these items and protecting the environment from their hazards. This helps brand owners maintain fair access to the local and international markets without having to face unfair competition from this rogue industry. Recycling of counterfeit items is increasing and brand owners register their trademarks at Dubai Customs to protect their genuine products.” 
In 2021, Dubai Customs made around 390 IP seizures that involved 1,764,710 counterfeit items. All the counterfeit items, which illegally bear the names of 228 brands, were recycled. 

Mubarak pointed out that cooperation with brand owners is not limited to recycling counterfeit goods. The IPR Department enhance their engagement and participation in workshops organized internally to teach inspectors and customs officers the latest methods used in counterfeiting. Dubai Customs organized 29 awareness workshops last year, which saw the participation of 2,413 stakeholders, and 437 trademarks and 189 trade agencies were registered.
Recycled counterfeited goods included women’s bags, watches, accessories and clothes, which bear the names of famous international brands.