SAUDI ARABIA: Local authorities in Saudi Arabia are reported to have seized nearly 3,500 cylinders of counterfeit refrigerant being fraudulently sold under Honeywell's Genetron brand name.
The seizure was part of a joint effort between Honeywell and local law enforcement. According to local authorities, the counterfeit refrigerant was marked as Honeywell's Genetron 134a and shipped to Dammam Port, Saudi Arabia, from China.

'We continue to take the necessary aggressive actions in cooperation with law enforcement and other government authorities to ensure that users get the high-quality product they need as well as ensuring its safety,' said Paul Sanders, managing director for Honeywell Fluorine Products in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. 'These efforts have resulted in seizures around the world.'

Honeywell has intensified its anti-counterfeit efforts in the Middle East over the past two years. In 2011, the combined efforts of police, customs, local municipalities and other government officials resulted in the seizure of approximately 6,000 cylinders in the United Arab Emirates of materials branded as Honeywell Genetron 134a, but that actually contained dangerous toxic and flammable substances.

Honeywell continues its efforts to build awareness among end customers on risks of using counterfeit products. These include creating posters for garages and service stations that explain how dangerous it can be to use non-genuine products.

Honeywell has actively pursued counterfeits for over 10 years with successful seizures in more than 20 countries covering six continents. During the last two years alone, Honeywell, working with local governments, have seized more than 200,000 counterfeit products.