Authorities seize smuggled ethanol worth millions

Water bowser used to transport 7,500 litres of contraband ethanol seized in Sultan Hamud, Makueni County.

Kenyan authorities have seized a consignment of 7,500 litres of ethanol estimated to have a tax value of over Sh2 million.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in a joint operation with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said that the ethanol had been concealed in a 10,000 litres water tanker intercepted at Sultan Hamud, Makueni County on Saturday.

It was later established that the tanker only carried 2,500 litres of water in an outer compartment while the second concealed compartment containing ethanol after samples were tested at a government laboratory.

The truck driver will be charged in court alongside the truck owner as investigations continue to identify beneficial owners and smugglers.

In 2015, KRA introduced guidelines to govern the access, purchase and importation of ethanol in line with Government’s initiative to fight illicit production and consumption of spirit based beverages meaning that ethanol importation is restricted and only allowed for licensed firms and dealers.

The move was also meant to prevent revenue loss. However, authorities have been struggling to prevent smuggling of ethanol at the porous borders in Uganda and Tanzania.