KRA burns sex toys, bhang and skin lightening lotions

KRA destroyed contraband worth Sh13.5 million on January 16, 2018

 

The taxman destroyed contraband worth Sh13.5 million on Tuesday.

The items that were burnt included 15 kilogrammes of sex toys, five tonnes of cigarettes, and 15 kilogrammes of bhang and skin lightening lotions.

This is the second time the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has destroyed smuggled sub-standard goods at its customs yard.

In November last year, contraband worth Sh12 million, including various brands of alcohol, pharmaceutical products, and cosmetics were destroyed.

The goods were seized in Kisumu from motorists and passengers travelling from Uganda.

The KRA western regional coordinator, Kevin Safari, said those who had been found with the goods were charged with engaging in illegal business.

He said nine cases of people involved in smuggling contraband were in court.

“We have launched a crackdown on smuggling and we expect cross-border communities to work with us so that we can eliminate the vice,” said Mr Safari.

He added that the fight against smuggling was fuelled by porous borders. The commission has deployed sniffer dogs to help detect contraband.