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Dubai: Small vendors have become a nuisance to tourists and local residents alike at the Dubai Gold Souq, visitors have said.
In order to keep away from being seen by police patrols, these vendors hide in the numerous alleys that connect to the Gold souq from the central district's business areas.
Tourists and residents said they are being caught unaware by these vendors who jump at them from the alleys promising good bargains, if they purchase counterfeit watches and perfumes from them. They said these vendors ruin their shopping experience at the Gold souq.
These vendors store their counterfeit goods in cartons. A counterfeit Gucci watch is sold for Dh200. The prices drop, depending on whether you bargain.
"This is the first time for me to visit Dubai and quite frankly I had a tough time shooing off vendors who kept chasing me all around the souq. They are such a nuisance," said Graham Smith, an Australian.
Get rid of them
Elizabeth, a Nigerian, who is also on a visit to Dubai for the first time, along with her sister and friend said that she managed to get rid of the vendors by buying some fake watches from them.
"At first, they try to sell fake perfumes and watches as genuine products ... something should be done about them. Another thing that I had observed was that these vendors mostly target women shoppers," she said.
Local residents said that they do not succumb to these vendors and threaten to report them to the police. "I am sure that the authorities concerned do not tolerate their activities and that is what makes them hide in the alleys. The vendors disappear when you utter the word 'police'," said Malathy Vasudev, an Indian based in Dubai.
Gulf News spoke to a vendor who sells counterfeit goods at the souq. Requesting anonymity, the vendor said that his target is to sell half a dozen counterfeit watches every day.
"There is a lot of competition in this field. I work on a commission basis and so my earning depends on how much I am able to sell. You will be surprised at the number of residents coming to buy counterfeit goods from us. It is easy to sell counterfeit goods to young tourists who are unaccompanied by grown ups," he said.
The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said that any complaints or issues are forwarded by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing to the respective government department that is responsible for taking any measures to rectify it.
The Dubai Economic Department, which keeps a stringent watch on the sale of fake and counterfeit goods, has posted on its website steps and measures that should be taken by consumers to avoid buying counterfeit goods and report any sale of fake or counterfeit goods or services in the market.
According to the list of violations on any imports, bringing in or buying from unlicensed vendors or selling fake or counterfeit goods in the markets of Dubai attract fines of Dh5,000 to Dh20,000, Marketing fake or counterfeit goods bought from or sold in the local market attract fines between Dh500 and Dh10,000.
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