Sharjah Municipality destroys counterfeit goods

The destruction will take place at the Sharjah Industrial Area be supervised by the Sharjah authorities in the presence of international media and Honda representatives.

The action comes after Sharjah authorities raided two warehouses in August this year in Sharjah's industrial zone. In the warehouses, which belong to a Dubai, UAE based trader, authorities found around 960 engines that imitate the shape of the Honda's famous GX engines.

Investigations revealed that Dubai based traders of counterfeit goods store their products in Sharjah, prompting the authorities to act to enforce the law within their jurisdiction. As well as the pending destruction of the engines, the trader involved is to be fined.

Sharjah authorities decided to take action against traders dealing in engines that copy the shape of Honda's engines, irrespective of whether they bear the Honda word mark. The well-known shape of Honda's GX engines is a registered three dimensional trademark with the UAE Trade Marks Office and special training was given to Dubai customs and the Sharjah authorities as a precursor to enforcement.

The destruction will involve the crushing of the counterfeit engines to put them beyond use.

Zuieki Hayashi of Honda commentated: "This is an important step in the fight to protect consumers and businesses in the region from counterfeit goods. It sets a precedent for the UAE which we hope will send a strong message that no form of counterfeiting will go unchallenged."