Anti Counterfeit Authority inspectors impounded a go-down in the Shimanzi area of the Kenyan seaport city of Mombasa and seized 10,000 bags of 50kg bags of counterfeit Rice.
Coast Region Head Elina Mnari said they acted on a complaint reported by Capwell Industries Ltd a Kenyan manufacturer of food products based in Thika and owners of the Rice trademark.
The company claimed not to have given any authorization for the importation.
The trademark owners had received numerous customer complaints about rice bearing their trademark that was being sold in the market.
"Upon investigations, they found the products in the market did not belong to them and the brand owner did not authorize their sale".
They called on Kenyans to protect their trademark since counterfeiters were injuring their brand reputation, unfair competition and loss of market share.
"This matter is under active investigation to establish the particulars of the importer and the mode of trade," Elina said.
Investigations revealed that the trade involved cartels who import packaged and branded rice bearing known brands and sold locally disguised as locally manufactured.
Elina described the trade as detrimental to the government's big 4 agenda on Food security and manufacturing.
"The ACA Kenya has a responsibility to protect consumers to buy genuine products of good quality. Let the trademark be truthful and the goods are safe for human consumption. The rice that we have seized could have ended up in people's homes and restaurants,” Elina said.
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