Nairobi: Anti-Counterfeit Authority nabs over 1000 cartons of fake alcohol worth Sh 2.5 million

NAIROBI, Kenya – The war on fake goods and products has received a shot in the arm after the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) intercepted over 1,000 cartons of fake alcohol in the Kiamaiko area within Nairobi City County.

The seized consignment worth Sh 2.5 million comes at a time when ACA has intensified surveillance nationwide under its Holiday Enforcement Campaign.

In a statement, ACA disclosed that the illicit den hidden in a dim basement was a distribution hotspot feeding Nairobi, neighbouring counties, and even upcountry markets.

“The seized drinks had fake labels, no safety markings, and posed serious dangers, including poisoning and blindness,” the statement reads in part.

Kenyan data tells the story:

• 1 in 3 consumers has unknowingly bought counterfeit alcohol
• Businesses lose Sh 100 billion+ annually to fake products

“We urge the public to stay alert this festive season—buy only from licensed outlets and report any suspicious packaging,” said Robi Mbugua King’a, the ACA Executive Director.

To expedite the removal of counterfeit goods from the market, ACA declared in August 2024 that it was adopting alternate dispute resolution and compounding crimes.

How the ACA is combating fake goods in Kenya

The Authority’s Enforcement Directorate Director, Yussuf Osman Ahmed, revealed that since the procedure was put into place in 2023, 300 cases had been resolved.

“Since its establishment, the Authority has recovered counterfeit items valued at Sh 8 billion and filed 400 court cases, with a 70% conviction rate. Motorcycle tube distributors who were found guilty were sentenced to three years in prison,” said Osman.

Footwear and clothing are the most common counterfeit goods in Kenya, followed by electrical and electronic items.

“ACA wishes to advise the public to cooperate and coordinate by reporting any suspicious activity to the Authority and conducting due diligence in the purchase of the goods by checking the price, place of purchase, and packaging to ensure they don’t fall into the trap of the counterfeiter,” Osman further said.

In the meantime, news9.africa has established that the Authority is leading the fight against counterfeiting through the use of technology and the implementation of recordation as a tool to prevent the products of owners of intellectual property rights from entering the market by enabling them to record their rights and preventing dishonest traders from entering the market.