Belkin International, an American manufacturer of consumer electronic accessories such as routers and iPad and iPhone accessories, is involved in ongoing aggressive action against counterfeiters operating in the Gulf region.
“In an effort to combat counterfeiters, we are constantly monitoring the market place and are working closely with relevant authorities to conduct raids where appropriate," Belkin spokeswoman Karen Sohl told the Gulf News Journal.
The announcement follows a series of raids across Dubai in what the company called its "most aggressive action" against the sale of counterfeit goods in the Middle East.
Dubai's Department of Economic Development (DED), acting on information gathered and supplied by Belkin, raided 22 stores located in four main marketplaces, confiscating more than 1,400 counterfeit Belkin-branded products.
"Since its inception in 1983, Belkin has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the research, development and engineering of its products to ensure they are safe and reliable for consumers," Belkin Founder and CEO Chet Pipkin said after the raids were carried out.
"We appreciate the efforts of the DED and will continue to work with appropriate authorities around the globe to enforce our intellectual property and stop the sale of Belkin counterfeit products," Pipkin said. "These actions are part of our ongoing commitment to fighting those who seek to damage our brand, undermine our valued customer relationships and flood the market with inferior products."
Counterfeit Belkin products confiscated during the raids include smartphone accessories such as cases, cables, and chargers for both in-car and home use.
The company has also warned that using the uncertified or counterfeit USB-C cable or accessory could lead to serious issues. A device or cable could could be damaged, while the connector end may break off, weaken, or might not fit properly into the device, which could damage the port, the company warned.
Further, a user might not be be able to sync or charge the USB device properly.
Dubai’s DED is also involved in policing e-commerce sales as part of the wider assault on the sale of counterfeit goods.
UAE laws protect the rights of consumers irrespective of whether the sale transaction is completed at a physical retail store in the country or through an online portal based in the country, the DED said in a statement issued last year.
The DED Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector signed an agreement with Souq.com, the largest e-commerce player in the country. “In line with the smart governance vision of Dubai, we have expanded our vigil to the e-commerce space to prevent traders from using the online medium to promote counterfeit goods,” CCCP CEO Mohammed Lootah said.
The collaboration aims at introducing innovative measures to tackle problems generally faced by online businesses and ensure growing trust in online transactions among e-consumers in the UAE, the DED said.
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