Crack down: KRA impounds vehicles worth Sh30m in Mombasa

MOMBASA, KENYA: Kenya Revenue Authority has impounded 21 vehicles at the coast that have foreign registration numbers worth Sh30 million.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) carried out the sting operation over the weekend with other state agencies including the police and Kenya Bureau of Standards(KEBS) after mounting roadblocks, to enforce border control measures.

Nicholas Kinoti Ngeera, deputy commissioner in charge of the southern region, said at the Central Police Station in Mombasa that they were acting to control the influx of contraband goods and enforce payment of revenues to KRA.

The roadblocks were mounted in Mombasa county, Lunga Lunga in Kwale county, Maktau in Taita Taveta county and Sabaki in Kilifi county.

“The operation is aimed at eradication of all forms of contrabands including prohibited goods and motor vehicles imported into the country illegally,” he explained.

According to KRA, the vehicles were seized after the owners failed to submit valid import documents to support their entry into the country.

“Further, most of the vehicles were being driven by Kenyans instead of foreigners as required by the law,” he added.

There were no arrests but KRA said it has given the owners 30 days to claim their vehicles or they will be crushed.

The KRA officials said the authority has launched investigations and those found culpable will be either prosecuted or forced to regularise the vehicles , while those aged over eight years will be condemned and destroyed. This year, authorities have crushed 363 such cars in Mombasa alone.

“The owners of the vehicles are suspected to have contravened section 117 of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004, as read together with regulations 134-137,” Ngeera stated.

Nineteen of the impounded vehicles mainly with Tanzanian registration numbers are currently at the Central police station in Mombasa while three other vehicles are at the Lunga Lunga police station.