Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials have destroyed assorted contraband goods worth Kshs 9 million in Garissa County. According to Garissa County commissioner Meru Mwangi who oversaw the exercise at the Garissa dumpsite, the illicit goods were intercepted from smugglers by security officers at various entry points on diverse dates.
According to officials, the goods were seized during the ongoing multi-agency crackdown on illicit goods. Most of them were concealed to evade payment of tax (import duty), while some were found to be counterfeit or substandard products.
Some of the items destroyed included 10 tonnes of sugar worth Ksh 908,300, 587 cartons of milk powder worth sh5,987,400, cartons of coconut oil worth Ksh 158, 400, used duvets and other assorted goods items.
Also present were officials from Kenya Bureau of Standard amongst other state agencies. The county commissioner said all state agencies will work closely to prevent substandard products that are harmful to Kenyans from entering the country. “We want to protect legitimate businesses who pay taxes to the government from unfair market competition,” he noted.