About 201,600 cans of fake Kiwi shoe polish worth
over N42million have been destroyed in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The ‘fake’ shoe polish cans were intercepted in a
warehouse in Onitsha by undisclosed importers, who had ordered them from oversee
for sales to unsuspecting members of the public.
The products, which were contained in three trucks,
were later destroyed after a Federal High Court in Awka presided over by
Justice Bature Gafai granted order for their destruction by burning.
Gafai in the order directed that the products be
burnt in the presence of a court bailiff, police officers, officials of the
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and members of the media.
Speaking after the destruction of the products, counsel
to Asco Nigeria Limited, which owns the franchise to import original Kiwi polish,
Tagbo Anaeto, said the destruction is to serve as a deterrent to others in the
illegal business.
“The court had also slammed punitive actions
against the illegal importers which include the seizure of their property, cost
of damages to the tune of N2million which was paid to the courts as well as the
public destruction of the counterfeit goods,” he said.
Acknowledging a significant reduction in circulating
fake products in the market, Anaeto said it is an ongoing exercise and will be
sustained until the markets are rid of fake Kiwi products.
Managing Director of Asco Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sam
Anyanwutaku, commended the judiciary for the judgement which he noted would
help end the efforts aimed at economic sabotage by the illegal importers.
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