A sophisticated counterfeit flour racket that allegedly flooded Kenyan markets with fake maize flour has been dismantled after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) raided a godown in the Canaan area near Infinity Industrial Park in Kasarani Sub-County.
Acting on intelligence, the detectives stormed the premises and uncovered what appeared to be a fully operational repackaging facility, seizing thousands of counterfeit flour packets and arresting seven suspects.
Investigators established that the godown had been converted into a covert operation where assorted maize flour brands were allegedly repackaged and redistributed using counterfeit labels, potentially deceiving consumers into purchasing products that were not what they purported to be.
Those arrested include Felix Kiprop, an employee of SARA Flour Brand; Cynthia Nakoli, a salesperson attached to the same company; loaders Joseph Kariuki and Victor Omondi Opiyo; driver Daniel Ngugi; and Maria Ngui and Samuel Kimilu.
During the raid, detectives recovered 3,682 packets of a popular corn maize flour brand valued at approximately KSh312,120, in addition to hundreds of packets bearing the names of three other well-known flour brands.
The total value of the recovered counterfeit products was estimated to run into hundreds of thousands of shillings.
The operation also exposed what investigators described as an elaborate counterfeiting setup. Recovered items included stacks of empty packaging bearing the branding of several genuine maize flour companies, a Hyundai lorry, registration number KBR 092K, which was allegedly being loaded with the illicit products, and industrial processing and packaging machinery.
Detectives also seized weighing equipment, bag-sealing tools, as well as date and batch-marking stamps allegedly used to imprint product information on the counterfeit packaging.
Of particular concern was a cache of discarded one-kilogram packets closely resembling the packaging of a well-known maize flour brand.
A representative of the affected company who arrived at the scene confirmed that the packaging bore a striking resemblance to his company's branding. However, he noted that the company does not manufacture one-kilogram packets, raising further questions over the origin and intended use of the packaging.
Representatives of the affected brands have pledged to present themselves for verification, while the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has been brought in to sample and analyse the recovered products as investigations continue.
The seven suspects remain in custody undergoing processing pending arraignment. The recovered items have been detained as exhibits as detectives work to establish the full extent of the alleged counterfeiting operation.
