KRA confiscates 16 containers loaded with illegal sugar

The taxman Thursday confiscated 16 containers of contraband sugar at the Kilindini Port Container Terminal.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General John Njiraini said verification done by the authority's officers from Mombasa port confirmed the containers carried imported sugar with an accessed tax value of Sh28 million.

The containers had been wrongly declared as containing parts of a grinding machine and boring mesh metal.

"The 16 containers verified so far, are loaded with sugar packed in Kakira Sugar Company bags, to ostensibly mask its origin. It's instructive to note that Kakira Sugar Company is based in Uganda and any imports originating from the firm, would ideally enter Kenya by road or rail, through the land borders and not through the port in sea vessels," Mr Njiraini said.

In December last year, eight containers of contraband sugar worth Sh20 million were confiscated in Mombasa. Four of them were declared as handbags and belts while the others were declared as lubricants.