Parts seized in collaboration with General Motors
Dubai, UAE - 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.
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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
For more information please contact:
Saada Hammad
Communications and Public Relations Manager
General Motors Middle East
Tel: 009714 3143350
E-mail: saada.hammad@gm.com
© Press Release 2005
