Credit KBC
The Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) inspectors Friday raided and shut down a counterfeit Home Baking Flour manufacturing factory in Runyenjes Town, Embu County following a complaint filed by Uzuri Food K Ltd.
Over 25 Tons of counterfeit home baking wheat flour and 23,500 pieces of packaging materials worth over Ksh10 million were seized and two people including the owner were arrested and will be charged with manufacturing counterfeit goods contrary to section 32 of the Anti-Counterfeit Act 20008.
In addition, the charges will be compounded with others dealing quality and standards as well as public health offences.
Chief Inspector Daar Bulle from the Authority who led the raid assisted by local police raid announced the charges.
“The accused will be charged with counterfeiting offences. 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,” said Chief Inspector Daar Bulle.
“This 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 comes at a time when the government under inter-agency collaboration model has renewed its war against illicit trade. In the last six months, goods worth over KSH 8.5 Billion has been seized under this government frontage headed by Mr. Wanyama Musiambo, the Deputy Head of Public Service in Kenya.
“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,” said Mr. Bulle.
Fight against trade in counterfeits guarantees local manufacturers their market shares and greater returns on capital invested in their business. This is in line with the Government’s Big Four Development agenda to support and grow manufacturing from 8% of the national GDP to 15% in the next four years. It is equally important to a country like Kenya since we are assured of economic growth through increased employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
