Bought a handbag in Dubai?
British tourists have been warned against buying counterfeit luxury goods in Dubai because they could be funding North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and his nuclear missile programme.
Experts say many of the fake handbags, purses and Rolex watches on sale in ‘secret shops’ in Dubai are believed to be have been counterfeited in North Korea.
The industry is worth millions of pounds and brings in desperately needed hard currency for the Pyongyang regime.
The UN Security Council has begun drawing up even tighter sanctions after North Korea conducted its fifth and biggest missile test last week.
Thousands of tourists from Britain and other Western countries visit Dubai every year and many end up being lured to hidden Aladdin’s Caves full of items which are the spitting image of the genuine articles.
According to Mail Online, a reporter visited the Al Karama market area in downtown Dubai recently and, after dropping several hints, was told a car would pick him up and take him to a secret location.
The shopkeeper said the police checked his premises every day and he could not risk keeping counterfeit goods on display.
The reporter was whisked away to an anonymous block of flats and taken up to the third floor.
There the door to a non-descript apartment opened onto a veritable Aladdin’s Cave with Fendi, Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbags and purses on display along with imitation Rolex watches and other luxury items.
The quality of counterfeiting was exceptional and only an expert would have been able to tell the difference.
The bags and watches were sold for a fraction of the normal price.
The merchants were Iranian and, when asked where the bags were actually made, one said: ‘Korea’.
Asked if that meant North Korea, he replied: ‘Yes’.
The goods are thought to be brought to Dubai from North Korea via Iran, which is just on the other side of the Straits of Hormuz, although it is not clear if the authorities in Tehran are involved.
Dr Sheena Greitens, an expert on the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) from the University of Missouri, said: ‘North Korea has a history of manufacturing counterfeit products - pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, and other products - dating back at least ten years, probably longer.
‘Given the DPRK’s history of making counterfeit products, and the fact that a major portion of the country’s trade is now light industry, including garment trade with China, it would not be surprising to find North Korea engaged in counterfeiting designer goods for export, especially clothing.’
She said: ‘The DPRK regime justifies illicit activity on ideological terms, but it is motivated primarily by extreme financial necessity.’
Dr Greitens said North Korea had highly evolved smuggling networks which worked closely with organised crime syndicates in the Far East and elsewhere.
Earlier this year it was reported the value of counterfeit goods had risen from 16.8million dirhams (£3.46m) to 34.4m dirhams (£7.09m) in the first quarter of this year.
The director of Dubai’s Intellectual Property Rights department, Yousuf Ozair Mubarak, told the Gulf News it was important for thousands of tourists to understand why they should avoid counterfeit products: ‘We want to protect consumers and also encourage creativity by supporting intellectuals to continue producing.’
In June a North Korean agent was arrested in the Chinese city of Dandong for trying to pass off $5m in fake dollars. The US Secret Service estimates North Korea has produced $45m in fake $100 bills since 1989.
How to spot the fake handbag
The material - Louis Vuitton use coated canvas with leather trims on their bags. If the trim is supposed to be leather, it should feel dry - not oily.
The printing - Brands like Gucci, Fendi and Louis Vuitton are know for their monogram patterns. See how the print sits on each different style of bag. For example, on the Louis Vuitton ‘Speedy’, if the print starts with the brand logo it should end with it too. The hardware should be heavy and the designer’s name should be spelt correctly if it is printed anywhere on the bag.
The stitching - Every designer will use a certain stitch that is unique to them. For example, on Chanel’s timeless lamb skin bags they will use around a 10 to 12 stitch account. Hermès will use a saddle stitch. The stitching should not be frayed, knotted or change in colour.
The strap - The Louis Vuitton ‘Neverfull’ is one of the most counterfeited items on the market. Fake versions can be quickly identified by simply looking at the strap width. An authentic strap is only three eighths wide but most fakes, made from inferior materials, have to be much wider.
The paperwork - Not all brands supply authenticity certificates - and they do not necessarily mean anything. Chanel supply certificates but Hermès chose not to. If the bag can be copied so can the certificates.
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