Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) enforcement officers have intercepted a Simba Coach passenger bus carrying smuggled goods worth an estimated KSh46.77 million along the Uganda-Kenya route.
In a statement on Friday, September 18, KRA said the consignment, which was being transported to Nairobi, included cigarettes, shisha tobacco products and powdered milk. KRA said the goods put an estimated KSh29.177 million in taxes at risk.
The interception followed an intelligence-led operation targeting a suspected smuggling network that had been moving excisable goods from Uganda into Kenya through porous border routes.
According to KRA, intelligence gathered by its enforcement officers indicated that a suspected smuggler was using a Simba Coach bus to transport the goods.
“Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) enforcement officers have intercepted a consignment of smuggled cigarettes, shisha tobacco products and powdered milk with an estimated market value of KSh46.77 million with tax computation indicating an estimated KSh29.177 million in taxes at risk,” KRA said.
“The interception followed an intelligence-led operation targeting a suspected smuggling operation along the Uganda-Kenya route.”
KRA Uncovers Hidden Compartments Carrying KSh46.7 Million Smuggled Goods
The products were reportedly sourced from Uganda and moved through unofficial border routes to a collection point in Busia before being loaded onto the bus for transportation to Nairobi.
KRA officers mounted an operation in Eldoret town after receiving information about the suspected movement of the goods.
However, the suspect reportedly noticed the enforcement officers and fled, prompting a pursuit.
The officers eventually caught up with the suspect at Kondoo in the Burnt Forest area, where he was detained.
The Simba Coach bus was then escorted back to Eldoret and taken to a KRA warehouse for further inspection.
A detailed search of the passenger bus led to the discovery of specially concealed compartments that had been used to hide the suspected smuggled goods.
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Cigarettes worth KSh30.6 million
Among the goods recovered were ORIS cigarettes valued at approximately KSh30.6 million.
KRA said the consignment included 146 cartons of ORIS Double Apple Slim cigarettes, with each carton containing 10,000 sticks.
The cigarettes were valued at approximately KSh29.2 million.
The officers also recovered different varieties of shisha tobacco and related accessories estimated to be worth KSh8.398 million.
The shisha products included 59 boxes of AFRAH Tobacco Mint flavour (AL-SULTAN) and 118 cartons of ALFAKHER Mint Flavour.
Shisha filters, pots and bowls were also found among the goods.
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Powdered Milk also Seized
The enforcement officers further recovered powdered milk products valued at an estimated KSh7.768 million.
The consignment comprised 100 cartons of LATO Whole Milk Powder, with each carton containing 12 pieces.
It also included 199 cartons of NAN Optipro 1&2, each containing 12 pieces.
KRA said the discovery of the goods in specially configured compartments within a passenger bus demonstrated the lengths smugglers were taking to evade enforcement officers.
The authority said it continues to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement operations along major transportation routes to disrupt smuggling networks.
KRA said the measures are intended to prevent the entry and distribution of illicit goods, protect government revenue and safeguard legitimate businesses from unfair competition.
The authority also said the crackdown aimed to protect public health and enforce tax and customs laws.
The interception comes amid continued efforts by KRA to combat the movement of illicit and undeclared goods into the Kenyan market through the country’s border points and transportation corridors.
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