?KRA intercepts gold worth Sh100 million at JKIA enroute to Dubai

KRA intercepts gold 'biscuits' worth Sh100m at JKIA

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) intercepted gold worth Sh100 million at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi while on transit to Dubai.

The gold is alleged to have been in the custody of a 46-year-old Tanzanian man, seized by KRA Customs officers and a team of security agencies attached to the airport.

Officials said at least 32,255.50 grams of gold bars and an accompanying invoice of USD859,890 worth approximately Sh100 million, were found in his possession.   

The suspect was seized following intelligence alert. Officials at the airport said he had arrived at JKIA, on February 16 at about 3pm on board Precision Airlines from Mwanza via Kilimanjaro and was heading to Dubai aboard Kenya Airways.

A team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation accompanied by Revenue Protection Service Officers from KRA’s Investigation and Enforcement Department took statements from the suspect.

 “The transportation of goods is contrary to provisions of the East Africa Community, Customs Management Act 2004 Section 85(3) and Second Schedule Part B(4),” KRA said in a statement.

This section of the law restricts the transiting of unwrought precious metals and precious stones across the region.

The gold bars were put under the custody of KRA, Customs and Border Control as investigations are being carried out to get to the details of the case. 

Officials said the man identified as Abdallah Abdi was part of a group that owns a goldmine field in Mwanza, Tanzania.

“They are a group of Indians who own a gold mining business in Mwanza. This looks a genuine gold and the man may have only failed to declare contents of the luggage as per the law but let us wait,” said a source who asked not to be named.

Initially, the security agencies thought the suspect was part of an international cartel involved in running in fake gold but after further checks they established the man is a genuine dealer.

JKIA is used as a transit point for most gold from West Africa headed for Middle East and Asian countries.

Some of the gold is bloody as it is mined from controversial fields and contribute to current civil war especially in DRC Congo.

DCI George Kinoti said the suspect is under interrogation to get more information on the business.

The taxman said it continues to put in more relentless measures and remains vigilant in stepping up the fight against smuggling at points of entry.

On February 12, a Kenya Airways crew member was arrested in Mumbai, India with 23 kilograms of smuggled gold bars.

In what has left many puzzled, Abdallah Ali, 29, had tucked the 156 gold “biscuits” worth Sh100 million in a waist belt and knee-cap supports.

The Times of India reported that Mr. Ali was apprehended after checking into a five-star hotel near the international airport.

According to the Indian daily newspaper, this was the biggest haul of smuggled goods that had ever been seized from an airline staff in the City of Mumbai.

Also arrested alongside Ali was 26-year-old Ibrahim Ali Hussein, a Kenyan who was allegedly supposed to collect the gold from the crewmember.

The suspect is reported to have arrived in India aboard a Flight KQ210 and after clearance by the customs authority he proceeded to the hotel, where he was nabbed.

After landing, the suspect, carrying 156 gold biscuits, cleared customs and was picked up by a car from Hyatt Regency. However, a hotel employee grew suspicious as another foreign national kept walking close to him on the premises, said the police.

The airline’s communication team said the management was deliberating on the matter and they would issue a statement later.

In Kenya, authorities say they are fighting a ring involved in dealing in gold scam.

On January 23 three suspects were charged in court over a gold scam in which a Dubai-based businessman was conned out of about Sh102 million.

Politician Steve Mbogo, Rashid Patel and James Kinyanjui  appeared before Milimani senior principal magistrate Peter Ooko, but were not charged.

They are accused of fraudulently obtaining $1 million from Sayeed Altaf — a United Arab Emirates citizen. 

Altaf had told police that he was duped by the suspects into parting with his cash, after he was introduced by Ishmael to a business deal involving sale of gold. According to a court application, the businessman filed a complaint on January 17.

Police recovered more than 100 cubes resembling gold, which will be forwarded to the Mines and Geology department for analysis.

Gold business is lucrative and tricky. Many unsuspicious buyers are conned by sellers who front fake bars to obtain money.