KRA seizes 21,600 smartphones worth Sh16 million in latest tax evasion crackdown
KRA said the consignment was intercepted following an intelligence report and had arrived on September 18, 2025, aboard a cargo plane.
A total of 21,600 high-end smartphones worth Sh16 million and 5,000 declared units valued at Sh6.4 million were among goods impounded at Eldoret International Airport in a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) operation targeting tax evasion.
The goods also included shoes, clothes, auto spare parts, household items and other electronic accessories.
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KRA said the consignment was intercepted following an intelligence report and had arrived on September 18, 2025, aboard a cargo plane. It was consigned to Pemba Cargo Limited and declared by Portyard Limited.
“Investigations revealed that the declarations of the goods were made either expressly or under consolidated cargo within each category,” the Authority said.
The tax evasion scheme contravenes Section 203 of the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) 2004, which states in part: “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.”
KRA emphasised its commitment to cracking down on tax evasion to ensure compliance with tax laws and fair trade in the market.
“KRA is actively engaged in unearthing tax evasion schemes to boost tax revenue compliance as well as adherence to tax laws and procedures, hence ensuring fair trade is maintained within the market,” the Commission said.
For years, Eldoret International Airport has been viewed as a hotspot for the entry of uncleared goods, forming part of a broader network of tax evasion activities in the region.
KRA officials said intelligence-led operations such as this are critical in disrupting these networks and safeguarding government revenue.
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