Fake booze top goods sized in KRA raids in 2021
Counterfeit alcohol has topped the list of goods seized by Kenya Revenue Authority and the multi-agency team in the first quarter of 2021.
The taxman, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Anti-Counterfeit Authority, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Government Chemist have conducted 44 sting operations in the three months to March where half of the goods nabbed were alcohol and ethanol.
Out of the goods worth Sh121 million seized, Sh50 million worth of alcoholic products have been seized most of which is counterfeit.
Sh23 million worth of ethanol has been seized mostly concealed to evade taxes, smuggled and undervalued.
“Agencies conducted 44 operations against illicit trade across the country. As a result of these operations, goods worth Sh121,786,284 were seized,” KRA’s Intelligence and Strategic Operations department indicated.
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The most prevalent offences noted were counterfeiting at 41.3 per cent, smuggling – 28.1 per cent, concealment – 9.1 per cent, dumping – 8.2 per cent and under valuation of 3.2 per cent among other offences.
Most of the goods were seized in January accounting for 50.27 per cent of the total value of goods seized during the quarter.
The highest value of goods was seized in the Nairobi region accounting for 34.79 per cent of the total, followed by North Rift region at 30.83 per cent, Western region at 25.09 per cent, Northern region at 5.35per cent and the southern region at 2.96 per cent.
| Description | Concealment | Counterfeit | Dumping | Illegal refilling | Others | Prohibited goods | Smuggling | Uncustommed goods | Under declaration | Under valuation | Total |
| Alcohol | – | 40,258,214 | – | – | – | – | 6,227,060 | – | 3,365,989 | 560,000 | 50,411,263 |
| Ethanol | 11,000,000 | – | – | – | – | – | 6,200,862 | 2,026,350 | – | 3,817,935 | 23,045,147 |
| Sugar | – | – | – | – | – | – | 18,989,878 | – | – | – | 18,989,878 |
| Coffee Beans | – | – | 7,759,752 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7,759,752 |
| Bottled Water | – | 6,103,600 | – | – | 1,200,000 | – | – | – | – | – | 7,303,600 |
| Assorted Goods | – | – | 2,338,560 | – | 743,750 | 2,810,840 | 276,080 | – | 300,000 | – | 6,469,230 |
| Cigarettes and Tobacco | 104,000 | 2,500,000 | – | – | – | – | 632,854 | – | – | – | 3,236,854 |
| LPG | – | – | – | 1,187,000 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,187,000 |
| Maize | – | – | – | – | – | – | 950,000 | – | – | – | 950,000 |
| Electricals | – | 786,000 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 786,000 |
| Excise Stamps | – | 662,560 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 662,560 |
| Milk | – | – | – | – | – | – | 600,000 | – | – | – | 600,000 |
| Soft Drinks | – | – | – | – | – | – | 300,000 | – | – | – | 300,000 |
| Chemicals | – | – | – | – | – | – | 85,000 | – | – | – | 85,000 |
| Total | 11,104,000 | 50,310,374 | 10,098,312 | 1,187,000 | 1,943,750 | 2,810,840 | 34,261,734 | 2,026,350 | 3,665,989 | 4,377,935 | 121,786,284 |
