Dubai Government destroys US$1million
counterfeit spark plugs
Parts seized in collaboration with General Motors
Dubai, UAE – 3 September 2005 –
The Department of Ports & Customs and Dubai Municipality have
destroyed fake automotive spark plugs worth US$1 million, which were seized
following collaboration with General Motors (GM) as part of their ongoing fight
against counterfeiters.
GM’s collaboration with the authorities in
the UAE extends to providing detailed information about counterfeiters operating
in the country, allowing the Government to investigate and raid the criminal
operations. On top of this, GM provides training to help officials more easily
identify counterfeit auto parts.
A total of 500,000 counterfeit spark
plugs, which originated in China, were taken off the wholesales auto spare parts
market in the UAE. The parts seized have been destroyed to stop counterfeit auto
parts endangering the lives of consumers.
“We thank the local
authorities in Dubai for their work to eradicate such a serious problem and
applaud them for their decisive action to destroy the seized parts,”
commented Joe Elenz, Aftersales Director, General Motors Middle East. “The
use of counterfeit auto parts is a serious threat to manufacturers and dealers
but more importantly fake parts pose a major risk to the lives of
consumers.”
“Counterfeiters work hard to produce auto parts
that are difficult for the authorities to spot but our collaboration with the
local authorities has helped give them the skills needed to identify and seize
such products,” he added. “It is estimated that the number of
counterfeit parts available in the Middle East now encompasses 20% of the total
spare parts market and this has ramifications on local economies as well as
putting lives at risk.”
Counterfeit parts are inferior in quality and
performance when compared to the genuine articles. Imitation parts may be
cheaper, but they can cost consumers a great deal of money and anxiety in the
long run. Fakes typically don’t last as long as genuine parts and can
lead to other mechanical problems and system breakdowns.
Fake parts
also pose a major safety threat to consumers, as they are often produced from
substandard materials that don’t hold up or perform like genuine parts.
There have been a number of instances where counterfeit parts, such as brake
pads, have failed at extremely inopportune moments, endangering not only the
passengers of the vehicle itself, but also other motorists on the
road.
The best protection from counterfeit parts is to buy from GM
dealers or authorized distributors of ACDelco Automotive Service and Parts, who
provide a range of genuine auto parts for all makes and models of vehicles.
CONTACT(S):
Saada Hammad
Communications and Public Relations Manager
General Motors
Middle East
Tel (+9714) 3143350
e-mail saada.hammad@gm.com
About
GM
General Motors, the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, was
founded in 1908 and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM
today employs about 324,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing
operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In 2004,
GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent, and the
second-highest total in the company’s history. GM’s global
headquarters is in Detroit.
GM has been operating in the Middle East
since the early 1940s. GM’s vehicle brands sold in the region are
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab supported by a unique set of
customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts
and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company’s
operations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
In 2004, GM sold more than 88,000 vehicles in the
Middle East, representing a 55 percent increase over figures recorded in 2003,
and the company continues to introduce pioneering programs in the region. More
information on GM and its products can be found on the company’s consumer
websites www.gm.com and www.gmarabia.com
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