Things looking up for Anti-counterfeit fight in Kenya

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Nokia Counterfeits

All is not lost with counterfeits as Anti-counterfeit Agency, Kenya Bureau of Standards and Kenya Police made a milestone by netting upto 11,000 Nokia items in the last one month. This group has been working together to trace and nab all counterfeits in the market.

Nokia Counterfeits
LOL, some of the names are unmentionable in some mothertongue

Working in conjunction with the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA), Kenya Bureau of Standards and Kenya Police the raid at various outlets, mainly in downtown, helped confiscate items which included 2071 counterfeit Nokia handsets (enclosed in boxes complete accessories), 330 separate earpieces and 9084 pieces of batteries. On Friday specifically, raids co-ordinated the ACA netted traders at Sky Building along Luthuli Avenue, Nairobi dealing with fake Nokia products. A Chinese owner was found at his residence where he assembles parts to make fake Nokia products.

Mr. Kenneth Oyolla, General Manager Nokia, East and Southern Africa said the anti-counterfeit campaign which the company kicked off in May this year has helped boost public awareness about fake mobile phones, batteries and accessories and how customers can recognize them. He added that customers ought to SMS the IMEI numbers of the phone they want to buy to 8810 and they will get an instant response as to whether the phone is genuine or fake.

It is estimated that counterfeiting and piracy cost G20 economies US$ 85 billion a year in lost taxes and higher spending on unemployment benefits. The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) has estimated that international counterfeit trade is worth $600 billion a year and makes up 5-7% of world trade.