KRA intercepts 20,000 litres of ethanol at Kenya-Tanzania border

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted 20,000 litres of ethanol concealed under a bag of potatoes at the Kenya-Tanzania border in Namanga.

Documents presented to Customs officials indicate that the consignment was carrying bags of potatoes only. However, analysis of images from a recently installed mobile scanner at the One Stop Border Post, revealed containers of ethanol.

Had the package found its way into Kenya, the government would have lost Sh6.16 million in taxes.

Investigations by the authority and law enforcement agencies is underway to determine the actual source of the consignment and the intended destination within the country.

The mobile scanner at the Namanga One Stop Border Post, installed two weeks ago, is among a collection of modern technological measures the tax collector is leveraging on to combat concealment of goods and other malpractices as well as to expedite cargo clearance at the points of entry.

Apart from Namanga, KRA has installed X-ray cargo scanners at key points such as the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Embakasi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and at the port of Mombasa.

Last month, the tax collector intercepted two concealed high-end vehicles, a Range Rover Sport and a BMW X5, imported through the Port of Mombasa.

The cars were allegedly stolen from the United Kingdom.