This archive report was first published on 28 December 2019.
On November 1, 2019, a shipment of four containers was being loaded onto a ship at the Port of Mombasa, bound for Uganda. Unbeknownst to the shipper, the containers held a surprise for customs officials: three high-end vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Mercedes Benz, valued at Sh55.2 million.
The vehicles were later confirmed to have been stolen from the UK, with a tax implication of Sh14,080,341. Interpol verified the motor vehicles' stolen status, and an investigation was launched to identify and arrest other individuals involved in the smuggling racket.
A Mombasa businessman, Ali Abdalla Ali, presented himself to the shipping line to clear the goods, but was instead arrested and charged with improper declaration of imports and concealment of expensive vehicles. He denied the charges and was released on a Sh2 million bond or cash bail of Sh200,000.
The Kenya Revenue Authority, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, has vowed to intensify efforts to detect, disrupt, and prosecute individuals who use the Port of Mombasa to engage in illicit trade.
