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

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