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Wednesday 22 April 2026
The Consumer Protection Authority, represented by the Department of Combating Commercial Fraud, has successfully seized electrical switches, sockets, and LED lighting products in Muscat that had been tampered with and placed on the market as original products belonging to well-known trademarks, in clear violation of the legislation regulating consumer protection.
The Authority stated that the seizure operations were the result of intensive investigation and inquiry efforts, which revealed that the accused had engaged in trademark counterfeiting and affixed misleading information on the products to deceive consumers into believing they were original. The violations also included the falsification of purchase invoices and country-of-origin data to give credibility to the counterfeit goods and achieve unlawful profits. Accordingly, the seized items amounted to 15,418 lighting products of various types bearing the Samsung trademark, and 104,057 electrical switch products of various types bearing the LG trademark.
After completing the legal procedures and investigations, the case was referred to the competent court, which issued a conviction based on the evidence presented. The court ruled to sentence the supplier to three years’ imprisonment, permanent deportation from the country, and the imposition of a fine of OMR 10,000. Despite the submission of an appeal, the court ruled that the appeal was inadmissible, affirming the validity and correctness of the procedures followed in the case.
The Authority confirms its continued commitment to intensifying its regulatory efforts and combating all forms of commercial fraud, calling on consumers to verify product sources and report any suspicious practices, thereby protecting their rights and promoting a safe and reliable market environment.