The Anti Counterfeit Agency (ACA) conducted a raid on Monday in shops along Luthuli Avenue in downtown Nairobi and confiscated fake mobile phones and accessories valued at over Ksh8 million.
Among the accessories confiscated when the agency raided the shops after a complaint by phone manufacturer Samsung were chargers, batteries, phone covers, and earphones.
Speaking after the raid Ibrahim Bule, the chief inspector ACA reported that five suspects were apprehended in the operation and also urged other brands to come out and assist them in fighting fake goods.
“This is a crackdown that will continue. The agency has now focused completely on cracking down on all illicit and counterfeit products and will get rid of all of them from the market,” added Bule.
The phones that were seized had been rebranded using names from popular brands including Samsung, HTC, Nokia, Huawei, and Sony.
The Suspects were taken to Central Police Station, Nairobi and are aiding the police with investigations.
On February 26, the ACA had conducted another raid along Tom Mboya street and seized another bunch of fake phones with an estimated market value of Ksh3 million.
ACA chief inspector disclosed that the war on counterfeits is aimed at protecting the consumers against the adverse effects of using substandard products and by supporting the government’s anti-counterfeit war to create a win-win outcome not only for consumers but also the government.
Bule further went on to reiterate that the trading of counterfeited goods affects the government as they lose billions of shilling in taxes.
State Department of Trade, PS Dr. Chris Kiptoo noted that unfair trade practices negatively impact on the country’s economy, ease of doing business and the local manufacturing industry.
These losses have also touched the public sector as illicit and counterfeited trade has enabled the evasion of payment of huge amounts of taxes with each passing financial year.
