Economy

Fake sugar, tobacco top list of seized goods in counterfeits mop-up

elema

Elema Halake, the ACA chief executive officer. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Sugar and tobacco products top the list of illegal and counterfeit goods that were seized by the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) and a multi-agency team that conducted an operation to rid the country of fake goods.

Elema Halake, the ACA chief executive officer, says the rapid response initiative operation carried out between May 10 and June 30 last year seized substandard or illegal sugar worth Sh5.38 billion.

The ACA, working with the multi-agency team seized illegal tobacco and cigarettes worth Sh828 million. Illegal or substandard agriculture and livestock products hit 340.8 million in value.

Also netted were electrical goods and cables (Sh301.2 million), alcoholic beverages (Sh270.8 million), substandard roofing iron sheets (Sh182.7 million), textiles (Sh131 million), illegal leather (Sh37 million), foodstuff and bottled water (Sh16.2 million), tyres and spares (sh10.7 million, edulterated/counterfeit petroleum products (Sh1.6 million) and beauty and cosmetic products (Sh0.484 million).

Mr Halake said the counterfeits ring targets the fast moving consumer products because of the volume and the money involved.

Goods seized are deposited with the various agencies while others, especially sugar, are under the watch of police officers, he said.

Mr Halake said the multi-agency team constituted last year to fight counterfeit and substandard products had seized goods worth Sh8.5 billion.

He said the agency is also working with the cybercrime, the directorate of criminal investigations units and the ICT Authority to tame online counterfeiting.