Ministry of commerce moves to seize counterfeit goods

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has taken action against counterfeit versions of trademarks and brands, after receiving 20 complaints against vendors who were selling fake merchandise.
Ali bin Hamad bin Saif Al Mamari, the head of the Intellectual Property Rights Monitoring Department at MoCI, said: “The losses and damages caused by counterfeiting the registered and protected trademarks and brands have many dimensions and impacts. Counterfeited trademarks and brands result in a lack of investor confidence and misleading consumers. This prohibited behaviour has a deeper impact in case of food products, as counterfeiting the original trademark directly affects the public health and safety.
“The Ministry of Commerce and Industry implements all required safeguards to fight counterfeit trademarks and brands that have been illegally introduced to the Sultanate, from January 2019 till date,” he added. “MoCI received a total of 20 complaints of violations of original trademarks and by various brand owners. Some of these complaints were against the violation of intellectual property rights; such as circulating and offering some counterfeited brands of devices that were used in coffeehouses for sale. A number of complaints were against counterfeit food products, such as rice and building materials.”
The head of the Intellectual Property Rights Monitoring Department at MoCI highlighted that efforts of inspection drives continue to be directed towards providing the maximum possible level possible of protection to the original trademarks and brands and all intellectual property rights in the Sultanate.
Al Mamari went on to say: “MoCI warns traders, suppliers and importers against circulating and selling products bearing counterfeit trademarks and brands as they violate the GCC Unified Trademark Law No 33/2017. Furthermore, MoCI warns against any violation of all copyrights, patent rights and industrial designs rights. Accordingly, we call for all traders, importers, suppliers, vendors and consumers to not circulate, offer to sell, buy or promote any products having counterfeit brands and trademarks.”