18 suspects arrested in Eastleigh over tax fraud in fabric smuggling scheme
The arrests were made Monday evening after the Elite Operation Support Unit (OSU) who have been trailing the suspects nabbed them after they tried to tamper with the cargo tracking system.
DCI detectives have arrested 18 suspects in Eastleigh for allegedly diverting a consignment of fabrics that was meant for export to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), into the market, evading taxes in the process.
According to the DCI, the arrests were made Monday evening after the Elite Operation Support Unit (OSU) who have been trailing the suspects nabbed them after they tried to tamper with the cargo tracking system.
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“The consignment, transported in a trailer (Reg. No. KBT 641G/ZD3436), was tracked changing its number plates to KBY 548K at Machakos Junction, where the suspects also tampered with the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS),” they said.
“The trailer made several stops around Nairobi, seemingly to check whether authorities had detected the interference, before proceeding to Mai Mahiu, where further modifications were made to disguise the truck.”
The DCI said eventually, the vehicle was driven into Eastleigh’s KBS parking yard, where it was opened for offloading.
Immediately, the detectives raided the scene, arresting the driver Meshack Leo, two store owners Yusuf Mohammed Noor and Abdi Nasir Dur, and 15 other suspects.
Preliminary findings indicate that this syndicate has been under investigation for previous fabric smuggling cases, having allegedly diverted five other trucks using the same tactics.
The suspected importer, identified as Kasdama Kasongo Francois from DRC, has been linked to earlier cases of transit cargo diversion.
Authorities believe the cartel has mastered the art of bribing RECTS officers and corrupt officials along the transit corridor, allowing them to bypass tracking alerts and smuggle taxable goods into Kenya’s local markets.
The DCI says imported textile attracts high tax rates, meaning the government loses significant revenue from such illegal operations.
The scene is currently being processed as investigations continue, with detectives working alongside the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Investigations Department to unearth the full extent of the fraud.
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