Officers from the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) on Friday, September 26, raided an electronics shop located within Nairobi's Central Business District and seized 2,996 fake scientific calculators.
The gadgets, worth Ksh8 million, were seized for reportedly mimicking a leading brand. During the impromptu raid, the inspectors apprehended one suspect.
According to the officers, the calculators were intended for sale to unsuspecting students ahead of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, which begin later next month.
While addressing members of the public moments after the operation, ACA Nairobi Regional Manager Abdi Abikar warned Kenyans about the dangers of such substandard tools.
The ACA regional manager noted that such counterfeit calculators risked misleading and inconveniencing learners during the national examinations.
He noted that the Authority would intensify enforcement to arrest dealers selling counterfeit products. “We are intensifying enforcement; counterfeiters will face the full force of the law,” Abikar said.
"Counterfeit calculators can disadvantage students in timed subjects like mathematics and physics, where accuracy and speed are essential," he added.
Abikar further noted that expert warning revealed that counterfeit devices may malfunction or display incorrect functions, costing students their exam scores and future opportunities.
In a similar incident a few days ago, inspectors from the ACA seized counterfeit alcoholic beverages worth Ksh1.5 million in Githongo, Meru County. 91 cartons of drinks imitating common local brands were recovered.
The fake beverages were suspected to be made under unsafe and unregulated conditions, posing serious health risks, including poisoning and organ damage.
Following the raid, the multi-agency team, made up of officers from ACA and the area police, managed to arrest one suspect. However, another suspect managed to escape.
The ACA boss, Abikar, said the Nairobi CBD raid was part of a wider government crackdown on counterfeit goods. "The public is urged to report any suspicious products to help curb this dangerous trade."
