The Civil Court has issued an interim order to halt the import and sale of counterfeit cigarettes by Exotic Enterprises. The company has been accused of importing fake ‘Camel’ brand cigarettes, infringing on the rights of CGT Pvt Ltd, the brand’s authorized distributor, for the past 20 years.
CGT Pvt Ltd filed a complaint upon discovering that Exotic Enterprises was importing goods under a name deceptively similar to the ‘Camel’ brand. Further investigations revealed discrepancies in the labels and warnings on the packages imported by Exotic, indicating that these goods were not genuine products of the original manufacturer.
The lawsuit emphasized the potential loss of customer trust and irreparable damage to CGT Pvt Ltd if counterfeit products continued circulating in the market. It was revealed that Exotic Enterprises had imported 200 cases of counterfeit cigarettes stored in a bonded warehouse; 10 have been cleared so far. CGT requested the Civil Court to intervene and prevent the clearance of the remaining 190 cases.
Judge Aishath Azfa Abdul Ghafoor, acknowledging the gravity of the situation, issued an order against Exotic Enterprises, prohibiting any dealings with the imported goods due to their questionable authenticity. Additionally, the Maldives Customs has been directed to suspend the clearance of the goods, and the police have been instructed to prevent the sale of these counterfeit products within the country.
The ruling safeguards the interests of legitimate businesses such as CGT Pvt Ltd, which have legal authorization to distribute specific brands. This decision serves as a deterrent to those who might consider engaging in similar fraudulent activities.
