The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) enforcement teams have intercepted an undeclared consignment of 21,600 units of smartphones valued at Ksh16,102,137 in tax at the Eldoret International Airport.
In a statement on Monday, September 22, KRA said the consignment was part of consolidated cargo that also included 5,000 declared smartphones worth Ksh6.4 million.
"The KRA enforcement teams have intercepted an undeclared consignment of 21,600 units of high-end smart phones worth Ksh16,102,137 in tax at the Eldoret International Airport.
"The consignment was part of consolidated items that included 5,000 declared units of smartphone worth Ksh6.4 million, shoes, clothes, auto spare parts, household items and other electronic accessories. The consignment was intercepted following an intelligence report," the statement read.
KRA revealed that the shipment was linked to two companies through a cargo plane that landed at the airport on Thursday, September 18.
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The agency added that declarations of the goods were done either expressly or under consolidated cargo under each category.
"The consignments were consigned to Pemba Cargo Limited and was declared by Portyard Limited through a cargo plane that arrived on 18th September, 2025. Investigations have established that the declarations of the goods were done either expressly or under consolidated cargo under each category," the statement added.
As such, KRA has warned against tax evasion, noting that offenders risk imprisonment for up to three years or a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars upon conviction.
"The tax evasion scheme is a contravention of sections 203 of the East Africa Community Customs Act, (EACCMA) 2004 which states in part that a person who, in any matter relating to the Customs makes any entry which is false or incorrect in any particular, or in any way is knowingly concerned in any fraudulent evasion of the payment of any duty commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars," the statement concluded.
This comes two weeks after KRA foiled an attempt to defraud the government of Ksh123 million in taxes through irregular clearance of 161 containers of rice at a Container Freight Station (CFS) in Mombasa.
In a statement on Friday, September 5, the authority said the clearances occurred between August 1 and August 23, 2025, but was detected during routine audit checks.
KRA said the anomaly prompted immediate action, enabling it to recover the full amount of revenue that had been at risk of loss.
"Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has successfully averted an attempt to defraud the government of Ksh123 million in taxes through irregular clearance of 161 containers of rice at one of the Container Freight Station (CFS) in Mombasa.
"The irregular clearance occurred between 1st August and 23rd August 2025. However, the anomaly was detected through routine audit checks, prompting immediate and decisive action by the Authority. KRA has since recovered the full amount of revenue that was at risk of loss," the statement read in part.
KRA disclosed that it has launched an investigation into the matter and is working with law enforcement agencies to identify and hold accountable all individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme.
"KRA has launched a comprehensive investigation into the matter and is collaborating closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and other relevant law enforcement agencies to identify and hold accountable all individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme including staff.
"The Authority remains steadfast in its commitment to eradicating corruption within its operations. The Authority assures the public that anyone found culpable, whether staff members or external parties, will face the full rigour of the law," the statement concluded.
