The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has arrested eight suspects and seized over 650 bags of counterfeit sugar and cooking oil that was being smuggling into the country from Somalia.

On Thursday, ACA said its officers intercepted three lorries at Sabaki Security Patrol Point, in Malindi, where it recovered the consignment valued at estimated KES10 million.

"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 the transportation," ACA stated.

It added: “Counterfeit sugar hurts our sugar industry, affecting thousands of farmers' livelihoods and the local sugar industry that employs millions of people directly and indirectly," Executive Director of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, Mbugua Njoroge, stated.

For years, porous borders manned by dozy officials let in fake or substandard products into the Kenyan market, undermining the effort of genuine business establishments. 

Estimates by the ACA shows that the country loses roughly KES150 billion per year due to Kenyans’ love for fakes and counterfeits.

ACA notes that these losses arise from unrealized taxes, weakened export competitiveness, and an increased burden on the government to finance enforcement and public health interventions. 

"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 added.

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