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Police intercept counterfeit excise stamps valued at Sh750 million

By Hilary Kimuyu November 9th, 2019 1 min read

Police on Friday afternoon intercepted counterfeit excise stamps worth Sh750 million.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner for Customs and Border Control Kevin Safari said the consignment was intercepted at the Lwakhakha border being smuggled into the country from Uganda.

The consignment had been hidden in a white truck whose driver managed to escape after it was stopped by police offers who were working with KRA officers.

“Upon verification, which by the time of this message was going on a total of 146 rolls of stamps were counted (sic). The exercise is going on and the officers are on the ground,” he said.

In September, officers from KRA arrested a woman at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) suspected to be a peddler of fake excise revenue stamps.

Jane Mary Muthoni Gichengo, who was detained upon arrival from China, was suspected to be part of a criminal network that manufactures excise stamps in China and consigns them to Kenya while concealed.

The Authority added that the stamps are then distributed through a local cartel to alcohol manufacturers and distributors facilitating nonpayment of taxes to the government.