This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On August 14, 2019, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers made a significant seizure at the Port of Mombasa, uncovering a container declared as household goods but actually containing three high-end vehicles worth Sh40 million.
The vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Mercedes Benz, were discovered following an intensified crackdown on the importation of contraband goods. The container had been declared as containing personal and household effects but was found to have been loaded with the vehicles during verification at the container Freight Station (CFS).
According to KRA, Customs Enforcement Southern Region received a scanner alert on July 30, 2019, pointing towards mis-declaration of a 40-foot container. The scanner image revealed that the contents of the container were three high-end motor vehicles, inconsistent with the declaration.
The manifest showed the consignor for the cargo is in the United Kingdom, while the consignee is in Kampala, Uganda. KRA officers believe the vehicles were stolen from the United Kingdom.
“Kenya Revenue Authority is working in partnership with the local and international investigation and enforcement agents including the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenyan and International Police (Interpol) to get to the root of the syndicate,” KRA said in a statement.
This is not the first time containers declared to be containing household goods have turned out to be carrying high-end vehicles. In June 2019, KRA intercepted two high-end motor vehicles at the Port of Mombasa suspected to have been stolen from the United Kingdom.
