Half a million fake car parts seized

More than 500,000 potentially dangerous counterfeit vehicle parts were seized in a raid in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early this month and investigators say many were likely to be destined for Australian roads.

In the largest confiscation of its kind in UAE history, investigators discovered $5.4 million worth of fake car parts – 21 truck loads in total, bearing the trademarks of 15 different car-makers – in a warehouse and distribution centre in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain city.

The raid was the result of "an extensive collaborative investigation" by the automotive trademark owners and Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED).

The seizure follows a similar collaborative raid in May last year that saw 33,000 counterfeit Toyota parts — many safety-critical such as airbag triggering devices – confiscated in China's Guangzhou city by Chinese police.

"The global fake car parts market is worth almost AUD$20 billion," said Nationwide Research Group director Craig Douglas, who has 25 years' experience working with a number of Australian automotive brands to investigate counterfeit parts.

"Dubai dealers have been contacting Australian automotive retailers offering to sell them genuine parts at less than local prices, and our experience has shown that in most cases those parts are, in fact, counterfeit.

"Through our investigations over the last 25 years, we have increasingly seen spare parts for the major car brands being imported into Australia from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other parts of the UAE.

"Our investigations have revealed that some of these parts are fake. This recent seizure of fake parts suggests the problem is on the rise and Australian consumers should be vigilant," said Douglas, who describes the UAE as "the Hong Kong of the '80s" when it comes to fake car parts.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the seizure reinforced the scale of the international counterfeit car parts problem, which is the subject of the 'Genuine is Best' campaign.

"Investigators tell us there is a good chance that thousands of these inferior, illegal and dangerous parts were on their way to being fitted to Australian cars," said Weber.

"We have demonstrated the manufacturing inferiority and danger of counterfeit parts and this black market is risking the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

"Counterfeiters are more sophisticated than ever. These inferior copies are so close in appearance to the originals that even professionals can have difficulty telling them apart until they test their actual performance.

"The only way for consumers to ensure they are getting genuine OEM parts is to purchase spare parts and accessories from the authorised genuine part dealers and dealerships," he said.

The FCAI, which represents car-makers, says genuine parts are best because original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) test and back the replacement parts they sell, but the campaign has been called into question by another industry stakeholder.

In December, the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) released a brochure titled 'The Truth About Genuine Parts', advising consumers of their right not to choose OEM parts when servicing or repairing their car.

“The AAAA believes in free and open competition as the best way to ensure that all Australian car owners have access to affordable, high quality repairs and parts," said AAAA executive director Stuart Charity.