TikTok seller Shiquo wa Hii Style alleges anti-counterfeit raid wiped out entire stock

Popular Nairobi-based TikTok seller Shiquo wa Hii Style has triggered debate after claiming that one of her outlets was raided and cleared of stock in an anti-counterfeit operation.

In a viral video, the businesswoman said she suffered major losses after the alleged operation.

“We were taken everything. Everything was removed. Every pair of shoes was taken because they were considered counterfeit and had serious issues. If you deal in such goods, you are taken back to the village. They took everything from us," Shiquo said in a viral video.

The footage shows rows of nearly empty shelves inside the store, with staff seen rearranging sections and moving fixtures as she sought to demonstrate the extent of the alleged losses.

She claimed the operation was carried out by officers from the Anti-Counterfeit Authority and said all footwear in the outlet had been confiscated.

However, a source from the authority who spoke to TNX Africa on condition of anonymity questioned Shiquo's account and suggested that enforcement teams had not visited the shop.

@hiiii_style Replying to @Georginavalary Check on your sneaker plug today, they probably need a hug?? #businessowner #nairobikenya #shoelover #sneakers #trendingkenya ♬ original sound - SNEAKERS BY SHIQUO

“She is effectively acknowledging that the goods are counterfeit. Our officers are saying they did not go to that shop. We are trying to establish the facts of this incident. There is, however, an ongoing operation involving Interpol and the DCI working in large teams, so we are not sure,” the source said.

Efforts to reach the authority for an official comment proved futile as our calls went unanswered. 

It has yet to issue any formal response to the claims.

The development comes as authorities step up efforts to curb the trade in counterfeit goods and illicit products.

It also comes shortly after the opening of Nike’s official store in Kenya, where an original Air Force 1 ’07 sneaker retails at about Sh19,000.

The same would easily go for Sh2,000 in Nairobi's downtown. 

Meanwhile, INTERPOL has recently been involved in regional operations targeting counterfeit pharmaceuticals and illicit medicines.

In one major crackdown, thousands of illegal pharmaceutical products were seized, with investigators dismantling supply networks linked to fake drugs across East Africa.

Globally, Interpol’s Operation Pangea has led to the seizure of more than 6.4 million doses of counterfeit and unapproved medicines and the arrest of hundreds of suspects.

Questions remain over whether any enforcement action took place at the shop or whether the incident has been confused with broader ongoing operations targeting counterfeit trade.