The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has arrested four suspects and confiscated more than 400 cartons of counterfeit and substandard toilet tissue, along with thousands of fake packaging materials, during an operation in Kampala’s busy Kikuubo business district.

The raids targeted shops at Tesco Plastic Plaza and Justine Arcade on Kikuubo Lane.

They were prompted by public tips and complaints from owners of genuine toilet tissue brands.

According to UNBS Surveillance Officer Sarah Natongo, the suspects allegedly sourced unlabelled toilet tissue from unknown suppliers, then repackaged it using counterfeit wrappers mimicking established brands before selling it to unsuspecting buyers.

The operation started with the arrest of suspected sales agent Waluwu Idi, who was intercepted while delivering the products to Kooki Plaza on Kampala Road.

Investigators then moved to Kikuubo, where they raided the suspected stores and packaging facility.

At Tesco Plastic Plaza, the suspected packaging business manager, Bitwalo Christopher Kasujja, denied involvement in counterfeiting.

He claimed the packaging materials were being prepared for transport to a legitimate factory in Namanve.

The other two suspects, Robert Byaruhanga and Wycliff Tumusiime, said they had only been hired to transport the goods to another shop when the UNBS team arrived.

Natongo warned that counterfeiting harms legitimate manufacturers and poses serious health risks to consumers, as the products are often repackaged in unhygienic conditions that can lead to contamination.

She urged the public to always check for the official UNBS Quality Mark when buying consumer products.

The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue to trace the source of the unlabelled toilet tissue and identify other individuals involved in the operation.