Seven arrested by Interpol over fake goods

Seven people dealing in industrial hardware gadgets in Kampala have been arrested in connection with counterfeit goods, police have said.
The suspected counterfeit dealers were arrested in a joint raid by International Police (Interpol), brand owners, SKF and local advocacy organisation, Anti-Counterfeit Network (ACN).
SKF, a Swedish firm, is a leading bearing and seal manufacturing and supplying company in more than 130 countries including Uganda.
Mr Benson Oyo Nyeko, the Director of Interpol and International Affairs, said the officials also impounded counterfeit industrial bearings, tins of grease and other lubricants among other fake items.
“Counterfeiting is a serious problem affecting our nation and the economy as a whole. Imagine we seized a sizeable amount of goods in a small area of Kampala but there is a huge amount of these goods in open market,” he said.
Mr Nyeko described the dealing in counterfeits as transnational crimes but promised that suspected dealers will be pursued and the cases would be expeditiously handled.
According to Mr Nyeko, it is criminal to produce and sell counterfeits because they risk the safety of people’s lives since they do not meet the required standards set by the manufacturers.
“As Interpol, we are committed to protecting brands and products and we will work with stakeholders, among them consumers, to eliminate counterfeits from the local market,” he said.
ACN director for legal and corporate affairs, Mr Fred Muwema, said the arrested persons are facing charges which include counterfeiting a trademark, falsely applying a trademark, manufacture and possession of dye as well as prohibition of import and export of infringing trademark goods.
Mr Muwema said counterfeit goods constitute up to 70 per cent of the goods on the Ugandan market due to the weakness in the legal framework.
“Dealing in counterfeits is counterproductive and criminal for it affects the economy’s tax revenue but most significantly peoples’ lives are at risk. We lose at least 10 people everyday due to motor accidents because of vehicles that fail to break due to fake bearings,” he said.
Mr Muwema suggested that the magnitude of counterfeits calls for repealing of the legal framework to empower consumers to take legal action against counterfeiters.
The SKF Brand Protection Manager, Mr Petter Ronnborg, said the company business has been grossly affected by the damage caused as a result of the counterfeiters.
“It is a substantial damage to our business but it is a question of jobs, tax revenue and safety to those using the counterfeits because our products are present in all sectors and they contribute to peoples’ safety,” he said.