Police have warned the public to be wary of the counterfeit goods and products that are flooding the market in the country.
The caution was made by the Police Spokesperson, Emilian Kayima on Friday following an operation in which Police officers raided shops around Shamba Complex Building, Kisekka Market and recovered a stockpile of duplicated products.
The operation which is codenamed ‘FAGIA’ is an initiative of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCO) and follows complaints raised by the business community regarding fake goods which are frustrating their trade.
Kayima told a press conference held at Central Police Station (CPS) on Friday morning that several counterfeit products including food and lubricants mattresses were among those recovered at Shamba Complex in downtown Kampala.
Other products include televisions, Gillette products, pirated books and memory sticks.
“There is a problem out there in the market, of companies that produce fake goods. Some of the goods are sneaked into the country but others are concoctions that are made locally,” Kayima said
“We are asking the public to support us in this operation because anybody can become a victim from consuming such illicit products”.
The Police mouthpiece especially urged those who live close to places where such illegal goods are being manufactured, to volunteer information so as to help authorities crackdown on this trade.
Kayima revealed that some people have been arrested in connection with the illicit goods, however, he could not state how many they are.
He was also tightlipped on allegations that some unknown elements broke into the crime scene at Shamba Complex and stole some of the goods. The query had been raised by journalists who visited the scene early on Friday.
They claimed there had been no presence of security to guard the seized goods, contrary to what Kayima had earlier communicated.
“If there was any break-in, heads are going to roll. A crime scene has to be guarded. Where were the guards and supervisors?,” a seemingly uninformed Kayima stated.