Counties

Agency impounds Sh100mn fake goods at port

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Coast region Kebs boss Martin Nyakiamo (right) shows industrialisation cabinet secretary Adan Mohamed (left) the counterfeit cigarettes that were seized by the agency February 16, 2018. Photo | Laban Walloga | NMG

Counterfeit goods worth around Sh100 million were today impounded at the port of Mombasa amid a government crackdown on illicit trade that has flooded the Kenyan market with fakes.

The goods, including sugar worth Sh30 million, shoes (Sh40 million) and tobacco (Sh20 million), are at a go down in Changamwe awaiting destruction as their owners are expected to be prosecuted.

Some 500 tonnes of sugar was seized at the port allegedly packed in 'Kakira Sugar' bags from Uganda. The counterfeit tobacco, bearing the Bringi Filter brand, was imported from South Africa and is at the KPA customs warehouse in two 20-foot containers.

READ: KRA seizes smuggled sugar worth Sh28mn in Kilindini

According to senior port officials, 90 per cent of all the imported goods at the harbour come from China and India.

Anti-Counterfeit Agency officials on Friday told Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed that counterfeits sneak through consolidated cargo.

“Consolidated cargo is increasing by the day and as a result counterfeit goods sneak through. Verification of consolidated is a nightmare for all of us as law enforcement agencies due to lack of manpower, machineries, timing among other aspects,” ACA Coast regional boss Ibrahim Bule said.

But Mr Mohammed said all transit goods passing through the Kenyan harbour must be subjected to a thorough inspection to impound counterfeit goods.

“Crooks are always diverting different ways while importing counterfeited goods. If they think they are caught in Kenya they declare the items as transit goods so that they can escape the inspection by Kenyan authorities,” warned the CS when he went to inspect goods at the port.

He said his ministry has zoned in some of the key areas that are becoming avenues for people to counterfeit electronics, gas cylinders, tobacco and pharmaceutical items.

Killing local industries

Substantial amount of counterfeits come through the port. They will be destroyed before they start causing problems,” he added while commending the authorities involved in seizing the fake goods.

“Counterfeited goods are one of the biggest threats to our industries, loss of revenues running to billions and health dangers depending on the type of products,” the CS said.

The shoes impounded are of Simberland make, a counterfeit of Timberland boots, and are worth Sh40 million according to Mr Bule.

“It’s a lookalike...a pair of Timberlands goes for Sh20,000. It was declared at around Sh1.9 million but the real value runs at Sh40 million. That is where revenue leakage comes in,” Mr Bule explained to the CS.