KRA confiscates smuggled cigarettes worth sh200m disguised as sanitary towels
According to the shipping manifest, the container, which arrived from Thailand aboard a CMA CGM vessel, was declared to contain 1,100 boxes of sanitary towels. The consigner was listed as Igma Trade, while the consignee was Lotec Foundation, based in Nairobi.
Some of the confiscated consignment at Mombasa Port. (Courtesy)
________________
A multi-agency team led by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted a 40-foot container at the Port of Mombasa carrying 9.5 million illicit cigarettes disguised as sanitary towels, estimated at sh76m in evaded taxes.
According to the shipping manifest, the container, which arrived from Thailand aboard a CMA CGM vessel, was declared to contain 1,100 boxes of sanitary towels. The consigner was listed as Igma Trade, while the consignee was Lotec Foundation, based in Nairobi.
KRA Deputy Commissioner of Customs, in charge of Border Control and Enforcement, Chege Macharia, lauded international coordination and timely information sharing that led to the interception of the illicit tobacco.
“Upon arrival, we did our risk assessment based on the information that we had gotten from US Customs and Border Protection. We were able to confirm that the container was suspicious, or the content was suspicious,” Macharia stated.
A verification exercise at the Port Police Station, witnessed by officials from Interpol, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Kenya Ports Authority, revealed that the first three rows contained 146 boxes of genuine sanitary towels, each with 408 pieces.
The remaining boxes were filled with cigarettes marked bearing revenue export stamps from a neighbouring country. The consignment will undergo further laboratory tests to confirm authenticity.
“What we have intercepted here demonstrates the true meaning of international coordination and information sharing. This collaborative approach has proven essential in disrupting the flow of smuggled cigarettes and many other products,” Macharia noted.
He added that the smuggling of illicit tobacco products denies the country vital revenue and poses serious health risks.
Macharia noted that KRA’s investment in modern scanning technology has enhanced the detection of suspicious cargo at entry and exit points.
“We have scanners across all major entry points, including Mombasa, Busia, and Malaba. All containers entering the country undergo scanning, which aids in risk assessment and helps identify those requiring full verification,” he explained.
KRA is also deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in scanning operations to improve speed and accuracy. He emphasised that multi-agency cooperation remains crucial in combating smuggling and protecting the country’s revenue.