25 Tonnes of Counterfeit Chapati Flour Seized After Factory Raid

The Anti-Counterfeit Agency(ACA) on Friday raided and shut down a factory in Runyenjes, Embu county, that was found manufacturing counterfeit home baking flour.

Chief Inspector Daar Bulle from the agency, who led the operation, announced that over 25 tonnes of the counterfeit flour and 23,500 packaging material all worth over Ksh10 million were impounded.

Two suspects, including the owner, who were arrested in the operation, are expected to be arraigned in court to answer to charges in relation to manufacturing counterfeit goods.

They are also going to be charged with dealing with substandard goods and a list of other public health violations.

The accused will be charged with counterfeiting offenses. They are using Golden Ngano trademark registered and owned by Uzuri K Ltd to package the cooking flour. They are depriving Uzuri Ltd their valuable and hard-earned intellectual property, market share and sales,” explained Chief Inspector Daar Bulle.

The illegal manufacturing of counterfeit goods poses a real threat to honest businesses, and exposes consumers to health and safety risks as they are manufacturing in very unhygienic premises,” he added.

The raid is part of the government's renewed effort to fight counterfeit goods in the market in an inter-agency collaboration led by deputy head of public service Wanyama Musiambo.

In the last six months, the government has seized counterfeit goods worth over Ksh8.5 billion.

We are working with other law enforcement partners and committed to making this country a counterfeit-free country. This investigation exposed the national nature of counterfeiting. They have now migrated into the rural areas where they think they cannot be caught. Counterfeit goods are now manufactured in the rural towns and are intended to make its way into the urban markets and into the hands of unsuspecting consumers,” Bulle proclaimed.

The fight against counterfeits guarantees local manufacturers their market shares and greater returns on capital invested in their business.

 

  • . . . .