Two drivers have been charged at Lodwar law court for smuggling cigarettes into Kenya worth Kshs.9.6 million in customs taxes.
The two, Francis Letoya Pokera and Joel Mwai Maina were both charged with counts of conveying uncustomed goods contrary to section 199(b) iii of East African Community Customs Management Act 2004.
The two were arrested on 29th April 2021 at Nadapal in Lokichogio after KRA investigators intercepted the two driving in two separate trucks from South Sudan.
The consignments in the two vehicles were 300 cartons each containing 10,000 pieces of Super Match Cigarettes made in Uganda concealed using crates with empty bottles of soda.
The two denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate M. Mwangi and were released on a bond of KShs. 800,000 or alternative bail of Kshs. 200,000 each. The case will be heard on 9th June 2021.
From the investigations, KRA suspects the case to be a form of a tax evasion scheme that involves purchase of cigarettes in Uganda, which are then shipped to South Sudan for onward smuggling to Kenya through the border at Nadapal by concealing the cigarettes behind empty crates of soda in trucks.
KRA is committed to ensuring that trade operations are only carried out by traders who abide by the laid down legislations and tax policies.