Efforts to combat counterfeiting and intellectual property crime received a boost following high level discussions between the Anti Counterfeit Authority and international law enforcement partners on strengthening enforcement, prosecution, capacity building and cooperation against emerging forms of illicit trade.

The engagement brought together ACA Executive Director Dr. Robi M. King’a, Director of Enforcement Mr. Yussuf Osman Ahmed and Deputy Director of Enforcement Mr. Lindsay Kipkemoi, alongside John Parmley from the U.S. Department of Justice in Dar es Salaam, Jody Young from the U.S. Department of Justice and Eli Daines from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations in Nairobi.

Dr. King’a highlighted consumer demand for cheaper products as one of the factors sustaining the counterfeit market in Kenya, underscoring the importance of complementing enforcement with sustained consumer education. The discussions emphasized expanding awareness initiatives through community outreach, schools and digital platforms to equip consumers with the knowledge needed to make informed purchasing decisions.

The meeting also examined challenges affecting investigations and enforcement, including the reluctance of some intellectual property rights holders to share information due to concerns over potential reputational impact on their brands. Participants underscored the importance of stronger cooperation with rights holders, particularly in supporting product authentication, investigations and successful prosecution of cases.

From the prosecution perspective, John Parmley emphasized the need to strengthen the link between investigations and successful prosecutions. He proposed closer coordination between enforcement agencies and prosecutors, including identifying dedicated prosecution contacts who can provide timely legal guidance and facilitate the efficient handling of counterfeiting cases.

The discussions explored the possibility of establishing a formal cooperation framework between ACA and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, including the designation of an officer dedicated to counterfeiting and intellectual property cases. This would enable prosecutors to engage more closely with investigators and provide legal guidance at critical stages of investigations.

Capacity building emerged as another key priority. Areas identified for further training included online counterfeiting investigations, cybercrime, open source intelligence, cryptocurrency tracing, electronic evidence and forensic capabilities. Participants also discussed strengthening officers’ capacity in risk profiling under the Recordation framework to improve the identification and interception of potentially infringing imports.

Mr. Osman highlighted the changing nature of counterfeiting, particularly its increasing migration to online and e commerce platforms. He noted that imported counterfeit goods remain a major enforcement concern, requiring stronger border interventions, intelligence sharing and proactive measures to address vulnerabilities across supply chains. Alcoholic beverages were also identified as an important area of enforcement focus.

Beyond its impact on consumers and legitimate businesses, the meeting acknowledged the wider security dimensions of illicit trade. Discussions explored potential links between counterfeiting and other forms of organised crime, including drug trafficking and terrorism financing, and the need for enforcement agencies to strengthen their ability to investigate increasingly complex financial and digital networks.

The engagement concluded with a commitment to deepen cooperation in tackling intellectual property crime, counterfeiting and illicit trade. Priority areas include joint capacity building, enhanced prosecution support, research and intelligence sharing, consumer awareness, cross border enforcement and improved handling of electronic evidence.

As counterfeit networks continue to exploit porous borders, digital marketplaces and evolving technologies, the discussions underscored the importance of coordinated enforcement, stronger partnerships and continuous investment in the skills and tools required to stay ahead of emerging threats.