The association wants the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and National Police Service to establish a joint enforcement plan, designate a lead agency and set clear timelines for reporting progress.
The Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) has called on government agencies to intensify the fight against illicit trade by targeting the supply networks behind smuggled, counterfeit and untaxed goods rather than concentrating enforcement efforts on retail outlets.
The association wants the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and National Police Service to establish a joint enforcement plan, designate a lead agency and set clear timelines for reporting progress.
RETRAK Chief Executive Officer Wambui Mbarire said authorities must go beyond seizing illegal products from shops and investigate the suppliers, transporters, storage facilities and financiers involved in the trade.
“Seizing illicit products from a shop is only the beginning. Investigators must establish who supplied the goods, where they were stored, who transported them and who financed the consignment,” Mbarire said.
She added that tracing the supply chain was critical to dismantling illicit trade networks and preventing further distribution of illegal products.
The call comes amid growing concerns over the scale of illicit trade in Kenya, with estimates pointing to significant losses in government revenue and increasing competition for…
