Detectives have seized suspected counterfeit and illegal goods worth KSh62.7 million following a three-day nationwide crackdown targeting criminal activities, including the sale of fake products, illicit alcohol, smuggled cigarettes and falsified medicines.
The operation, dubbed Usalama XII, brought together multiple government agencies and covered Nairobi, Central, Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern, Nyanza and Western regions, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The multi-agency exercise resulted in 29 arrests, while officers checked 198 motor vehicles against INTERPOL databases as part of efforts to identify vehicles linked to criminal activities.
In Nairobi, detectives recovered suspected counterfeit consumer goods, electrical accessories and automotive products. The seized items included 3,991 suspected counterfeit Samsung and iPhone adapters, 1,963 football jerseys and Adidas balls, beauty products, vehicle spare parts and lubricants.
Officers also discovered suspected falsified medicines and diverted public medical supplies at an unlicensed clinic in Kayole, raising concerns about the distribution of medical products outside authorized facilities.
In Eastleigh, detectives seized bottles of products suspected to contain narcotic or psychotropic substances from a pharmacy. The products were taken for further analysis to establish their contents.
The crackdown also targeted suspected human trafficking and illegal recruitment activities. In Westlands, detectives recovered 85 Kenyan passports, work visas and employment contracts while arresting a suspect accused of operating an unlicensed recruitment agency.
In a separate operation in Roysambu, officers rescued three girls from suspected sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, detectives in Gilgil intercepted four Somali nationals believed to be victims of human trafficking, including two minors.
Authorities also targeted the illegal cigarette trade in Nakuru, where officers arrested a suspect found transporting 90,000 sticks of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at approximately KSh2 million. Detectives also recovered counterfeit excise stamps during the operation.
In the Central and Nyanza regions, officers arrested suspects and seized counterfeit and unmarked alcoholic beverages. Other recovered items included suspected counterfeit mobile phones, storage devices and footwear.
The DCI said the crackdown targeted several forms of illicit activity, including counterfeit products, illegal alcohol and soft drinks, smuggled cigarettes, self-care products, falsified pharmaceuticals, human trafficking and wildlife-related offences.