KRA intercepts bus carrying Ksh.46.7M smuggled goods along Kenya-Uganda border

In a statement on Friday, the taxman explained that the bus driver, who had evaded KRA officers on previous occasions, transported excisable products sourced from Uganda through porous border routes to a pick-up point in Busia, from where the goods were transported to Nairobi. 

Acting on intelligence, the KRA team mounted an ambush in Eldoret town to corner the suspected smuggler. The suspect, who attempted to escape the scene, was caught and detained at Kondoo, within the Burnt Forest area. 

A thorough search of the passenger bus revealed concealed compartments within the vehicle, used to hide suspected smuggled goods including Ksh.30.6 million ORIS cigarette flavours, shisha tobacco flavours and accessories valued at Ksh.8.3 million.

Further, the officers recovered powdered milk products estimated at Ksh.7.7 million, comprising 100 cartons of LATO whole milk powder and 199 cartons of NAN Optipro. In total, the smuggled goods amounted to Ksh.29.177 million in taxes. 

"The concealment of the goods in specially configured compartments within a passenger bus points to the increasingly sophisticated methods employed to evade detection along major transportation corridors," the statement read in part. 

The taxman revealed that the operations are aimed at protecting the public and legitimate businesses from unfair competition, safeguarding government revenue and promoting compliance with tax and customs laws.