Geo Pomona join in fight against counterfeit goods

TANAKA FETINANDI

The anti-smuggling campaign to curb influx of counterfeit and substandard goods has roped in Geo Pomona Waste Management that has offered to destroy fake and low quality products for free.

A large cache of counterfeit, substandard and underweight goods seized by the Anti-Smuggling Taskforce was destroyed on Tuesday at the Geo Pomona Waste Management site in Harare.

This operation is part of ongoing efforts to protect consumers from the dangers of smuggled and illegal products that fail to meet regulatory standards.

Consumer Protection Commission Director, Kudakwashe Mudereri, expressed concern over the increasing presence of such goods in Harare’s informal markets.

“This operation was there to ensure that we nip this practice in the bud because we want to protect our consumers,” he said.

He also highlighted the partnership between the commission and Geo Pomona, which has agreed to assist in the safe disposal of these products.

“We have entered into a partnership with the Geo-Pomona so that all the products that don’t meet the required standards so that our consumers are not exposed to the health risks which are associated with consumption of substandard products counterfeit products are destroyed.

“So Geo Pomona have agreed to assist us for free.”

Harare Metropolitan Province Anti-Smuggling Task Force Coordinator, Tawedzera Muwane, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in handling confiscated goods.

“We want to show evidence and transparency that things that we seize, which are non-human consumable, which are illegal, which are short weight, which are short mass, we destroy, we don’t take them home.”

“And hence, this exercise is a demonstration of things to come,” he said.