RIYADH: Authorities seized more than 20,000 counterfeit electrical items in Batha for not conforming to the Saudi Standards Specifications.

The detection was made as part of the routine inspection conducted by the conducted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) during the week.

The inspectors have detected the forging of the country of origin and duplicating famous brands on chargers, headsets for smartphones, claiming that they are of high quality, and thus misleading and deceiving the consumers.

All the counterfeit quantities had been seized and confiscated, before they are distributed to the local markets, while those responsible were summoned by the MCI for investigation and imposing the legal penalties against them.

The seizures included counterfeit chargers, 4,000 headphones bearing the brand “Samsung,” more than 11,000 counterfeit USBs bearing the brand of “Apple,” 300 “Apple” car chargers, as well as more than 1,000 USB ready to be counterfeited. In addition, some 3,000 anonymous “AUX” connections, not bearing any trade data, together with 200 dual electric chargers, not conforming to the Saudi Specifications and Standards were destroyed.

The seizures also included more than 6,000 empty containers ready for packaging and they were being prepared for counterfeiting and forging famous trademarks, such as “Apple,” “Samsung,” and “LG”.

In addition, more than 40,000 posters, guarantee cards and various symbols for “Apple” ready for counterfeiting, were detected as well.

The MCI had already carried out inspection rounds in various regions of the Kingdom, led to the seizure and confiscation of large quantities of counterfeit and adulterated consuming goods, used to be re-packed, stored and distributed by illegal labors, in purpose of deceiving and cheating the consumers.

The ministry further stressed that it will continue its inspection rounds on all warehouses and commercial institutions to verify their regular work, and to ensure the absence of fraud and manipulation practices on consumers, and to stop exploiting the demand for purchase in selling and marketing any counterfeit or adulterated items.

Earlier in an incident, the inspectors closed down a similar factory in Shifa district which was producing paints using primitive methods flouting health and environmental regulations.