Dubai and Louis Vuitton team up for counterfeit fight

Dubai’s Department of Economic Development has signed an agreement with luxury goods group Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) to fight the trade in counterfeit goods.

The two parties will work together to protect the rights of trademark owners, with initiatives including public awareness campaigns and the training of field staff to detect fake goods. Dubai has also signed prior agreement with other brandowners, including Daimler, Nike and Belkin.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by the chief executive of the DED's Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) - Mohammed Ali Rashed Lootah - and LVMH's director of assets and persons protection Laurent Marcadier.

"We will work hand in hand with all competent bodies in the government and private sectors, drawing on the relevant federal and international laws against counterfeiting and with the objective of eliminating all phenomena that adversely affect the integrity of retailing in Dubai," said Lootah.

Dubai is not regarded as a major source of counterfeit goods but is known to be an important transport hub for illicit goods in transit from Asia to markets in the US, Europe and elsewhere.

The CCCP says it seized 63m counterfeit items in 2015 worth an estimated $27m, with computer equipment, eyewear, accessories and phones the most commonly intercepted product categories.