Over 600 Bags of Fake Sugar Seized in Night Raid

The Anti-Counterfeit Authority seized bags of counterfeit sugar and jerricans of cooking oil worth Ksh10 million that were being smuggled from Somalia into Kenya.
In a statement on its social media account on Thursday, August 21, the authority claimed that, in collaboration with a Multi-Agency Team, it intercepted three lorries at Sabaki Security Patrol Point, Malindi, where it managed to recover the goods and arrest eight individuals.
If the sugar and oil had made it into the Kenyan market, according to the authority’s Executive Director, Mbugua Njoroge, it would not only undermine the country’s revenue base and risk expanding illicit trade networks, but could also potentially fuel terrorist activities.
“The operation led to the seizure of 676 bags of counterfeit sugar branded Butali and other labels, jerricans of cooking oil, and three trucks used in transportation. Eight suspects were arrested and booked at Malindi Police Station. The goods are valued at approximately Ksh10 million,” the authority stated.
“Additionally, the smuggling of goods from Somalia directly undermines Kenya’s revenue base and risks fueling illicit trade networks that support organized crime and even terror activities. We will not allow such threats to endanger our people or our markets,” Njoroge said.
Njoroge claimed that the operation was fundamental in protecting the health and well-being of customers who were potential buyers of the products.
According to the authority, the eight individuals and the goods have already been booked at the Malindi Police Station, waiting for alignment.
“This seizure is not just about protecting consumers from harmful counterfeit sugar and oil. It is about safeguarding our economy and national security. Counterfeit sugar hurts our sugar industry, affecting thousands of farmers’ livelihoods and the local sugar industry that employs millions of people directly and indirectly,” Njoroge stated.
Counterfeit goods have been a key factor in economic deterioration and loss of jobs. According to the authority, these goods cost the countryKsh153 billion annually in lost tax revenueand contribute to the loss of over 40,000 jobs.
However, Njoroge assured that the authority will not back down in cracking down on these products. In the past year alone, counterfeit goods worth over Ksh500 million have been seized by the authority, and more than 120  people have been arrested in connection with the goods.
“Globally, the OECD estimates that counterfeit and pirated goods account for 3.3% of world trade, valued at USD 509 billion, while the UNODC warns that such trade is increasingly linked to the financing of organized crime and extremist groups,” the authority stated.
The announcement comes days after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)  apprehendedsix individuals, including four Kenyans, one Congolese, and one Tanzanian,suspected of making counterfeit U.S. dollars.
In a statement on Monday, August 11, DCI claimed that the suspects were apprehended by Officers from the Central Police Police Station at a hotel in the Ngara area in Nairobi.
After the operation, the detectives managed to recover 36 bundles of fake U.S. currency, plastic note replicas, black paper resembling banknotes, and other suspected counterfeiting materials.