This archive report was first published on 11 November 2019.
On November 11, 2019, investigative agencies in Kenya made a significant bust at the Kenya-Tanzania border, seizing counterfeit products worth Sh20 million.
The goods, which included books, shoes, and soap, were imported from abroad through the Dar es Salaam port and were destined for Nairobi and Mombasa.
A police inventory of the cache revealed the bust had netted 36,456 copies of secondary school literature books, including 'The Pearl', 'David Inheritance', 'Doll House', and 'Memories We Lost'. Additionally, 834 pairs of fake Nike, Gucci, Fila, and Adidas shoes, 1,800 pieces of counterfeit imperial leather soap, and 1,860 union locks were found.
According to a police officer involved in the operation, the specifics of the raid and the faces behind the racket will be revealed tomorrow.
The bust comes in the wake of a KTN News investigation that exposed a racket involving bookshops that counterfeited school books.
As part of efforts to combat piracy, the government recently involved the services of a South African firm to help distinguish real copies from fake ones.
The Ministry of Education has also introduced a unique code on each book, which buyers can verify through SMS to ensure authenticity.
Lawrence Njagi, chair of the Kenya Publishers Association, revealed that securing their books has increased sales and reduced piracy from 39% to 17%.
However, litigating piracy in Kenya remains an uphill task, with advocate Liz Lenjo noting that it is new ground for most lawyers and judges.
