Massive crackdown on fake jewellery and watches in Qatar

Consumer Protection Department (CPD) has launched a massive crackdown on jewellery shops selling fake watches and ornaments of major brands. Since the beginning of the year, CPD under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, has been conducting inspections at jewellery shops selling international brands like Chanel, Dior, Messika and Bulgari, among others, which were available at throwaway prices in the local markets, according to market sources.

The copy products were very similar to the original ones and hence they were in pretty good demand among both citizens and expatriates. Usually the customers are fully aware that the products are counterfeits but buy them since they are affordable and looks exactly like the original branded ones, The Peninsula reported.

The practice had affected the authorised dealers of branded products, which perhaps has led the concerned authority at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, to launch the crackdown to curb the sale of fake products.

“The crackdown started by the beginning of this year, however, CPD inspectors had been asking shopkeepers to pull such products off the shelves during their regular and inspection visits to the jewellery shops since the end of last year,” Ahmad Husain, a Pakistani national working as a salesman at a gold shop in Gold Market- Doha said.

“We removed about 10kg of counterfeit accessories from our two shops operating in the Gold Market,” said Husain.

Fake jewelleries are made of 18-carat gold with non-precious stones. However, branded products have precious stones. “Though they are made to resemble the international branded products, one can know it is fake seeing the sparkle of the stones and also the finishing is not as good in fake ones,” said Husain.

Other jewellers were also informed about the counterfeit crackdown. Erring outlets could be imposed hefty fines from QAR 10,000 to QAR 50,000.

“We were told by the inspectors during their visits to our shop that selling fake brands of jewellery and expensive watches are illegal,” said Mustafa, an Arab national working as a manager of gold shop.

“There is very strict monitoring on the market to catch the fake products. Inspectors are raiding shops frequently. At least twice or thrice in a week they are visiting the market. Recently some fake products were seized from the shop next to mine and they were given heavy penalty,” he added.

Counterfeit watches are the highest in demand followed by bracelets, rings, necklaces, and ear rings among others, according to vendors.

"There is a huge difference in prices of branded products and the fake ones. A product worth QR25,000 could be bought at QR3,000. A ring of branded company worth QR5,000 could be made available at QR 500, with the fake one,” said Mohamad Naim, a Nepali salesman at a jewellery shop.

“We usually receive about five customers looking for the counterfeit products. A since it is no longer available readily, the demand has surged after crackdown,” said the salesman.

“We and other regular jewellers cannot afford to have the actual expensive international brands at our outlets. There are authorized dealers of such big brands and they are well-known in local markets Customers who wanted to buy the real products would go to these dealers . Only those who want the cheaper counterfeit ones come to us,” he added.