10,000 fake watches seized in Dubai raid

Dubai Police seized around 10,000 fake watches in a raid on an apartment in the Deira district, part of ‘Operation Habibi’, the force’s crackdown on counterfeit goods, according to a report by an association representing Swiss watch makers.

According to the December 2012 newsletter by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FSWI), representatives from the association travelled to Dubai and accompanied police as they made a successful raid on the apartment.

“Arranged in more or less orderly fashion, by brand, there is a large quantity of watches, perhaps 10,000 in all; enough to supply 20 or more points of sale,” the report said.

While no date for the raid was given, it was carried out using the help of undercover informants based in the area, the report said.

In a bid to curb the supply of fake watches into Europe, Bern-based FSWI last year sent investigators to Dubai to track down those involved in the manufacturing of counterfeit timepieces.

“New investigators were put on the case, using more direct and invasive methods,” the FSWI said. “In just a few weeks, our men discovered an assembly workshop run by Chinese nationals, concealed in a private apartment. The police raid seized nearly 17,000 fake Swiss watches... a major breakthrough,” it added.

Owners of designer clothing stores, gaming distributors and music shops in Dubai have long called for better regulation to tackle piracy and counterfeit products in the emirate.

Companies say their revenues are taking a hit where imports of counterfeit goods go undetected, dropping anywhere between 20 and 60 percent due to lower sales.

“Piracy and counterfeit products for DVDs and music is a big issue in the UAE as it negatively impacts sales for retailers,” said Varto Basmajian, music and video regional product manager at Virgin Megastore.

“Whilst this region has rules against counterfeit goods and piracy, these restrictions are not being reinforced at the level of severity that is needed in order to make a difference and bring the consumer back to the shop.

“It is difficult to measure the exact revenue loss, but we estimate it to be approximately 20-30 percent in our industry.”

According to Dubai Customs data, authorities detected as many as 689 cases of intellectual property infringement in 2010, with the majority of smugglers using the airport to bring in counterfeit goods.

Shipments included anything from CDs, DVDs, shoes, clothes, telephones, baggage and watches, to construction equipment, car parts and food supplements.

In Dubai, stalls selling counterfeit designer clothes and accessories are rife in areas such as Karama and Bur Dubai.