An enforcement operation carried out in Eastleigh, Nairobi has led to the seizure of suspected counterfeit personal care products valued at approximately KSh 1.1 million.

The operation, conducted by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), resulted in the recovery of assorted products bearing the NIVEA, VASELINE and TRESEMMÉ brands, suspected to be fake. The consignment has since been seized and detained pending further investigations and appropriate legal action under the Anti-Counterfeit Act.

This raid forms part of the Authority's sustained efforts to disrupt the storage, distribution and sale of counterfeit goods within Nairobi's key commercial hubs. The Anti-Counterfeit Act empowers ACA to combat counterfeiting and related trade in counterfeit goods across Kenya.

Given that personal care and cosmetic products are applied directly to the body, the presence of counterfeits within this category poses a particular concern for public health and safety. Consumers who unknowingly purchase such items are often left with no means of verifying their origin, authenticity or quality, exposing them to products that may not meet required safety standards.

The Authority remains committed to intensifying market surveillance and enforcement across the country, working closely with intellectual property rights holders and other stakeholders to protect legitimate trade from the effects of counterfeiting.

It has renewed its call to traders to source their goods exclusively through legitimate and verifiable supply chains, while urging consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing branded personal care products.

This latest seizure reaffirms ACA's commitment to protecting intellectual property rights and safeguarding legitimate businesses, in line with its vision of a Counterfeit-Free Kenya.