These seminars are being held until Thursday at Dubai Customs Headquarters. They constitute a part of the department's preparations to host the Forth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy in February 2008.

The workshops, organized by the Intervention Department, aim at teaching new customs inspectors the different methods used in counterfeiting and pirating goods, and how to identify them.

Representatives of international companies, trade mark specialists and their legal offices and counselors in the UAE are all participating, according to Dubai Customs.

Yousuf Ozair Moubarak, Senior Manager of the Intervention Department at Dubai Customs announced at the weekend that:

"These workshops will consolidate our efforts in helping the World International Property Organization to establish a worldwide protection for Intellectual Property Rights and create a healthy investment environment by encouraging creativity and innovation as well as empowering local researchers, scientists and writers."

Presentations will focus on identifying fake and genuine products, as well as on smuggling methods, and will include several lectures by different companies.