This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
On July 5, 2019, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers made a significant seizure at the Port of Mombasa, intercepting three containers with concealed ethanol and a high-end Range Rover.
According to Commissioner of Customs and Border Control Kevin Safari, the containers were scanned using KRA's non-intrusive scanners, revealing inconsistencies with the declared contents.
The ethanol, worth millions of shillings, had been misdeclared as 1,000 bags of cement and hidden in 285 boxes of spaghetti at the entrance of the containers.
The Range Rover, valued at millions of shillings, was declared as household goods but was actually a stolen vehicle from the United Kingdom.
"Customs officers have seized another high-end motor-vehicle, a Range Rover Sports suspected to have been stolen from the United Kingdom which had been declared as second-hand window frames, doors, folding chairs, stools and wall pictures," said Mr. Safari in a statement.
The seizure is a significant blow to smugglers, as ethanol importation is restricted and only allowed for licensed firms and dealers in bid to stem the production of illicit alcohol.
