KRA seizes Sh200 million worth of suspected illicit cigarettes at Mombasa port

Part of the consignment at Mombasa Port/Screengrab

A multi-agency team led by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted a 40-foot container at the Port of Mombasa carrying 9.5 million illicit cigarettes disguised as sanitary towels.

The contraband, valued at Sh200 million, could have cost the country Sh76 million in lost tax revenue.

According to KRA officials, the seized consignment, packed in 954 boxes, marks a major breakthrough in the ongoing war against illicit trade and tax evasion.

Each box contained 500 packets, and each packet held 20 cigarettes.

The container, which arrived from Thailand, had been declared as holding 1,100 boxes of sanitary towels.

KRA Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Border Control and Enforcement, Chege Macharia, praised international coordination and timely intelligence sharing that led to the seizure.

“Upon arrival, we did our risk assessment based on the information that we had gotten from US Customs and Border Protection, we were able to confirm that the container was suspicious, or the content was suspicious,”  Macharia said.

A verification exercise conducted at the Port Police Station, witnessed by officers from Interpol, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), revealed that the first three rows of the container held 146 boxes of genuine sanitary towels, each with 408 pieces.

The remaining boxes were filled with cigarettes marked bearing revenue export stamps from a neighbouring country.

The consignment will undergo further laboratory tests to confirm authenticity.

“What we have intercepted here demonstrates the true meaning of international coordination and information sharing. This collaborative approach has proven essential in disrupting the flow of smuggled cigarettes and many other products,” Macharia said.

He added that the smuggling of illicit tobacco products denies the country vital revenue and poses serious health risks.

Macharia noted that KRA’s investment in modern scanning technology has enhanced the detection of suspicious cargo at entry and exit points.

“We have scanners across all major entry points, including Mombasa, Busia, and Malaba. All containers entering the country undergo scanning, which aids in risk assessment and helps identify those requiring full verification,” he explained.

KRA is also deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in scanning operations to improve speed and accuracy.

He emphasised that multi-agency cooperation remains crucial in combating smuggling and protecting the country’s revenue.