Agency seizes fake pencils worth Sh24 million

An anti-counterfeit agency has seized counterfeit goods worth over Sh24 million and ordered retail outlets and stores to withdraw them from shelves.

The seizure of 2.4 million pieces of pencils at Industrial Area, Nairobi, follows a complain by Staedtler, the Germany maker that goods bearing the same design, shape and colour were in the market.

“We investigated the claim before making the raid as the public is likely to get confused between the genuine and fake pencils, said the agency’s acting executive director Gregory Munyao.

He said that the case will be taken to court. Concerns have been raised that counterfeiters take advantage of the high cost of genuine goods to produce fake and cheaper ones.

A piece of the Staedtler pencil costs Sh40 in the market while the counterfeit goes for Sh10.

The near similarity of the design and colour combination of the fake goods to that of the genuine ones is likely to confuse the public.

The most common counterfeited goods in the country are fast moving high value consumer goods such juices and health drinks.

Others are textile, ball pens, batteries. Counterfeit goods costs the economy billions