No Jersey Selling for Ksh500, 700, or 1,600 is Legit - Anti-Counterfeit Authority

The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has clarified that football jerseys being sold at prices such as Ksh500, Ksh700, or even Ksh1,600 are not genuine products.

The agency issued the clarification while responding to questions from members of the public, where concerns were raised about how buyers can distinguish authentic jerseys from counterfeit ones.

"On the issue of counterfeit goods, which jersey is legit among those priced at 500, 700, and 1,600?" a social media user asked.

In response, the authority said, "None of them is legit at that price."

At the same time, the authority explained that counterfeit goods are not returned to traders or allowed back into circulation once they have been confirmed to be fake.

"Counterfeit goods are not released back into the market once confirmed to be counterfeit. They are handled in accordance with the law, including court-directed destruction or disposal where applicable," ACA said.

ACA further outlined the legal powers granted to its inspectors under Kenyan law when dealing with suspected counterfeit products.

"Section 23 of the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008 empowers ACA inspectors to enter premises, inspect, search, seize and detain goods reasonably suspected to be counterfeit.

"The purpose of seizure is to preserve evidence and prevent further circulation of suspected counterfeit goods pending investigations and legal processes," the agency added.

ACA noted that safeguards are also provided under the law to protect legitimate traders and business owners whose goods may be seized during investigations.

"The law also provides safeguards. Where investigations establish that goods are not counterfeit, they are released to the owner. Further, any person aggrieved by a seizure has a right to seek redress through the courts," the agency further said.

Further, ACA said its enforcement activities are driven by intelligence gathering, public complaints, surveillance, and investigations conducted across the country.

"ACA conducts intelligence-led enforcement across the country based on complaints, surveillance, and investigations. Operations are carried out at different times all over the coutry as cases develop," the authority added.

This comes months after Gor Mahia issued a warning against the sale of counterfeit replica jerseys, citing financial losses to the club.

In a statement on Tuesday, January 20, Secretary General Nicanor Arum said the sale of fake jerseys undermines the club’s operations and breaches its partnership with the official kit supplier.

"We issue a stern warning against the sale of counterfeit replica jerseys. This illegal activity severely deprives the club of vital revenue and violates our partnership with the official kits manufacturer," he said.

Arum added that individuals involved in the illegal trade have already been identified, while calling on Gor Mahia branches to assist in curbing the practice.

"Identified perpetrators are known, based on information shared by our partners and will face legal action without exception. We urge all branches to actively help stop the spread of counterfeit jerseys," he added.