Wycliffe Nyamasege
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has busted 57,600 litres of ethanol declared as imported spaghetti at the Inland Container Deport in Nairobi.
According to reports, the consignment imported from the United Arab Emirates, has an estimated tax value of more than Sh15 million.
The ethanol was filled in 288 drums and loaded into four 20-foot containers, before its shipment.
Read: KRA Goes After Online Businesses Evading Tax Remission
KRA Customs Commissioner Kevin Safari said the drums were neatly concealed with 10,600 packets of spaghetti to avoid suspicion.
“The containers imported by Erikan Holdings Limited had been masked with a total of 10,600 packages of spaghetti,” he said.
He noted that KRA officials became suspicious of the shipment last month, leading to its isolation.
Also Read:75 KRA Employees Interdicted, Over 200 Arrested For Abetting Tax Evasion, Fraud
Earlier on Wednesday, the officers carried a physical inspection of the container, leading to the shocking revelations.
KRA officials working closely with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have launched investigations against the importers and clearing agents.
The revelations comes days after several KRA officials were arrested for abetting tax evasion fraud.
Also Read: Wanted! DCI Releases List Of 48 KRA Officials Wanted Over Graft
The staff members have since been arraigned to face fraud charges.
Another 48 KRA officials, said to be part of the alleged criminal syndicate, are being sought by police.
The employees, are accused of facilitating irregular cargo clearance, fraudulent amendment of tax returns so as to help taxpayers evade taxes and irregular issuance of tax compliance certificates.
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