POLICE in Njombe Region in partnership with the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI) have apprehended three individuals accused of selling counterfeit maize seeds in Kidugala Dillage, Wanging’ombe District.

Njombe Regional Police Commander Mahamoud Banga disclosed the arrests during a press briefing at the weekend.

The suspects were allegedly found in possession of 286 kilogrammes of counterfeit Tembo brand seeds, falsely marketed as genuine to unsuspecting farmers.

"The suspects exploited the high demand for seeds in the region by deceiving farmers into buying fake inputs. Unfortunately, some farmers have already planted the seeds which failed to germinate," said Banga.

Police received reports from six farmers who fell victim to the scheme, although the total number of affected farmers remains unclear.

Banga assured that investigations were ongoing, and the suspects will face charges for selling counterfeit maize seeds once the process is complete.

Frank Luoga, a local agriculture input supplier, cited shortages of seeds and fertilizers as a key factor behind the prevalence of counterfeit inputs in the region.

"Farmers have been struggling to find seeds since the start of the farming season, creating opportunities for criminals to take advantage," said Luoga.

He urged the government to ensure availability of agriculture inputs to help curb production and distribution of counterfeit products.

In a separate incident, police have arrested Brujo Mapunda, resident of Iringa, for allegedly hacking into a businessman’s bank account at Usuka Village and stealing 19.8m/-.

Banga explained that the suspect used fraudulent claims of upgrading devices to 4G to gain access to the victims' phones. Once in possession of the devices, the suspected fraudster accessed account details, including passwords, enabling unauthorised money transfers.