Saudi confiscates, destroys millions of items in violation of laws
The Saudi Authority of Intellectual Property in 2020 has confiscated and destroyed more than 5.5 million items found to be in violation of the country’s intellectual property (IP) regulations.
Yasser Al-Debassi, executive director of IP Respect at SAIP said that the items included pirated DVDs, CDs and books, illegal desktops, laptops, hard disks, memory chips, TV satellite boxes and CD-copying devices.
They also seized and destroyed more than 2 million counterfeit products including shoes, clothes, mobile accessories, sanitary ware and car filters – all bearing well-known trademarks from major international companies.
The authority launched online inspection campaigns to block websites, which, without permission from right owners, post copyrighted photos and graphics, exhibit copies of copyrighted books and magazines, and allowed for the viewing and download of copyrighted series, movies or pirated software.
SAIP has launched a number of initiatives at the national level, including a national enforcement committee for IP.
