By Ramesh Mathew

Staff Reporter

The Interpol has lauded the efforts being made by Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) and law-enforcing agencies to seize  fake goods and  to counter trafficking in intellectual property crimes.

Addressing  the opening session of the world police body’s regional programme, “To counter trafficking in fake and counterfeit goods and intellectual property crimes”, held at Crown Plaza Hotel yesterday, Interpol executive director of policing services Jean Michael Louboutin noted  that Qatari  authorities were working in tandem with the region’s police officials to bring to book elements engaged in trading in counterfeit products and involved in intellectual property infringement.

A  number of seizures of counterfeit goods and intellectual property crimes have reported in recent years in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region and many of those behind such criminal offences were held by the region’s police, including those from Qatar, said Louboutin while adding that such criminal activities had caused considerable damage to the economy of some states.

The three-day meeting in Doha is attended by 120 senior police officials from more than 20 countries.

“The meeting and regular interactions between  officials from these many teams at different levels would help them formulate more effective strategies to counter trafficking in fake goods and intellectual property crimes,” said Louboutin.

Louboutin  highlighted the importance of the police strengthening co-operation with the customs and other law-enforcing bodies “so that each of them is benefited from the knowledge and expertise of the other”.

He said Qatar was one of the first countries in the region to implement technologies for successful campaigns against counterfeit goods and intellectual crimes.

Louboutin  hailed the successful operations carried out recently by local police teams to seize foodstuffs whose expiry dates were forged.

Last year, he said,  there were more than 7,000 seizures of counterfeit goods in 63 countries across the world and more than 8,000 people were held by police.

The meeting was told that 20 Ministry of Interior officers had attended an online programme organsied by the Interpol for countering counterfeit goods and intellectual property crimes.

Earlier Major General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi opened the meeting.

An exhibition of counterfeit goods, seized from the  region’s markets, is  held at the venue of the three-day meeting.

 

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