Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has impounded and destroyed prohibited goods worth 35m/- following inspections in three western regions.
The TBS Acting Manager for Western Zone, Mr Rodney Alananga, said at the weekend that the operation was conducted for four days from last Tuesday and found out almost 24 per cent of total visited shops were stocked with banned and substandard goods.
“After seizing the banned goods in the country, the traders were given 14 days to produce a statement explaining where they obtained them before facing legal measures,” he said when wrapping up the operations conducted in Rukwa, Kigoma and Katavi regions.
Also, traders will be required to pay the cost of destroying the impounded items. TBS inspected 651 business premises out of which 154 were found with banned goods.
The importation of prohibited goods has been completely banned for reasons linked to human health, the environment, protection of endangered species of flora and fauna.
He mentioned goods impounded namely vehicles dot 3 brake fluids, substandard electric wires and second-hand clothes—undergarments.
During the operation, TBS seized one and half a tonnes of second-hand undergarments.
He said wearing second-hand undergarments is risky because they may cause and spread skin diseases to the users.
Mr Alananga said TBS has been providing public education to traders and consumers on the risks associated with second undergarments and that they have been banned from use in the country.
TBS is now targeting to provide public education at the grassroots level to make sure that the undergarments are removed from the market.
He said some unfaithful traders have been bringing the banned undergarments into the local market using unofficial routes.
The dot 3 brake fluids have already been banned in the country because they do not meet the country-required standards.
“To continue using the dot 3 brake fluids in vehicles may cause fire or brake failure leading to accidents,” he noted.
Mr Alananga said also that he seized substandard electric wires that were banned for use in the country but some unfaithful traders have continued to bring them into the country.
“The electric wires impounded do not meet the required country’s standards and thus may cause home fire disasters,” he added.
