Fake car parts seized in Kiseka market
A police officer guards one of the shops where counterfeit car bearings were seized at Kiseka Market on Friday. Photo BY JOSEPH KATO
Kampala. Police have seized counterfeit car bearings worth millions of shillings in Kampala.
The search was conducted in Kiseka market on Friday following a request by SKF company from Goteborg in Sweden over its duplicated car spare parts imported to Uganda from India and China.
Ms Tina Astrom, the director of SFK Group Brand Protection, who secured a search warrant from Makindye Magistrate’s Court, said their car spare parts have been forged by India and Chinese car companies for the last two years.
“We made a survey and realised India and China are the leading countries as far as duplication of our goods concerns. We have tried to cooperate with governments in these countries but nothing much has so far been achieved,” Ms Astrom said.
She said their study further revealed that East African traders, particularly Ugandans, were the main importers of the counterfeit goods and their investigation identified particulars shops in Kiseka.
“Our market is reducing because people are buying duplicated products. When such spares are mounted on vehicles, they inconvenience the car movement and several customers are complaining globally,” Ms Astrom said.
She said the search shall go until all their fake goods are no longer on Ugandan market. Ms Astrom also advised the police to investigate how the counterfeit goods reach Uganda.
Most of the traders that were affected by the search operate from Nakivubo Trading Centre Mall and Shamba Plaza.
They blamed Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) for not educating them about genuine car parts.
Mr Muzaham Kafeero, who lost most of his goods, said he imported car parts worth Shs100m from India two months ago and they were cleared by Uganda Revenue Authority and UNBS.
“Imagine my business is being taken yet I followed the right procedures. I have been in this business for more than three years and I have never seen UNBS or URA saying that I sell fake spares parts,” Mr Kafeero said.
Meanwhile, there was chaos when the traders’ chairperson only known as Hajj Sembajwe tried to stop the exercise but police blocked him.
