Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has recovered Kes452.5 million following the uncovering of a scheme involving irregular cargo clearance and revenue accounting involving clearing agents and staff.

The recovery follows internal reviews and enforcement measures that exposed attempts to bypass established customs procedures, leading to the irregular release of consignments without full tax compliance. 

KRA said it launched targeted interventions that have already yielded significant recoveries while triggering far-reaching enforcement and disciplinary actions. 

Central to KRA’s response has been firm regulatory action against clearing agents found to have participated in or facilitated the irregularities. 

The fraud bust has seen 21 clearing agents have their licenses suspended pending the outcome of investigations.

Additionally, the authority has interdicted six staff, who were found culpable in violating established procedures. Officers found culpable will face strict action in line with the law and internal regulations, KRA said.

The crackdown has also triggered wider criminal investigations, with officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) working closely with KRA to pursue all individuals involved in the scheme. 

These investigations target not only clearing agents but also importers and any other parties who may have participated in or benefited from the fraudulent activities. 

While reaffirming that legitimate trade continues uninterrupted, KRA has urged importers to strictly adhere to official payment channels when remitting taxes and levies.

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