NAIROBI: Counterfeit alcohol and cigarette products worth Sh60 million have been destroyed by the Kenya Revenue Authority. The goods were confiscated from traders in Nakuru,Eldoret, Nyeri and Embu by investigators from KRA over the last one year.The tax agency said the products lacked excise stamp while others had counterfeit KRA stamps.
Addressing journalists during the destruction on Thursday, head of the KRA’s market surveillance unit, Caxton Masudi said the authority’s excisable goods management system has helped to improve market monitoring which led to detection and seizure of the fake products.
“EGMS went live in September 2013 and through the system, we have been able to identify counterfeit separating them from genuine products that have complied. This has improved excise compliance and increased revenue,” said Masudi.The goods were in 400,000 cartons.KRA seized a total 324,670 fake products in Nairobi Between December 2013 and December 2014.
Among those destroyed, 281,258 had fake stamps, 26,392 had old stamps, 16,020 products were without stamps while 600 had swapped stamps.Masudi said the market surveillance office will continue with operations countrywide, to enhance compliance levels among traders selling excisable goods.
