Nairobi businessman arrested in high-end motorcycle smuggling sting

A multi-agency operation in Nairobi has led to the arrest of a businessman, accused of smuggling high-end transit motorcycles in a tax evasion scheme.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) investigation team, supported by the DCI-Operations Support Unit, conducted the sting operation to disrupt and apprehend key suspects.

The operation involved tracking the diverted goods for recovery.

Shivam Vinayak, a Nairobi-based businessman, emerged as the main suspect, accused of facilitating the importation of seventeen new KTM motorcycles from South Africa.

 Vinayak declared these as transit goods to Uganda. However, they were allegedly diverted and smuggled into the country.

KRA said the consignment entered Kenya through the Loitoktok One Stop Border Post (OSBP) in March 2024.

It was then diverted from the gazetted transit route to a Spring Valley, Westlands, and Nairobi store.

Sixteen motorcycles on board the transit truck were offloaded. The truck was allowed to proceed to the Busia border with only one motorcycle, allegedly to deceive the Customs officers at the border station.

The smugglers also allegedly attempted to interfere with the cargo tracking system to avoid detection.

So far, eleven motorcycles have been recovered, with the joint investigation team tracking the remaining five.

“Diverting, smuggling or otherwise handling unaccustomed motorcycles or any other goods is a punishable offence under Section 200(d) (iii) of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004,” said a KRA spokesperson.

“All goods imported for use in Kenya must undergo proper Customs clearance before use, sale or handling.”