By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, July 01, 2026 - The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has destroyed contraband goods worth KSh218 million seized during coordinated enforcement operations in Nairobi and the Coastal region, as it intensifies its crackdown against illicit trade and tax evasion in the country.
In a statement on Wednesday, the authority confirmed that the destruction exercise was carried out simultaneously at Envirosafe Limited in EPZ Athi River, Nairobi, and a designated destruction site in Voi, Taita-Taveta County.
The products, including various brands of beer, spirits, and bottled water, had been confiscated during intensive market surveillance and enforcement operations undertaken by KRA's Medium and Small Taxpayers Enforcement Division.
According to the authority, the products violated several laws governing the manufacture, importation and sale of excisable goods.
The offences included the use of counterfeit excise stamps, swapped and non-activated excise stamps, illegal production by unlicensed manufacturers and other tax evasion schemes aimed at evading or circumventing the country’s excise duty regime.
Speaking during the destruction exercise, Chief Manager for Micro and Small Taxpayers, Michael Gichuki, assured that the operation is part of the authority’s broader strategy to safeguard the integrity of the country’s tax system.
Illicit trade remains one of the greatest threats to the country’s economy, with Gichuki noting that it not only exposes consumers to products that fail to meet mandatory quality and safety standards, but also undermines legitimate manufacturers by creating unfair competition, threatening jobs, discouraging investment, and slowing industrial growth.
"Our work is firmly anchored in safeguarding the health, safety, and economic wellbeing of every Kenyan. These enforcement measures are not intended to punish law-abiding traders,” Gichuki said.
“Rather, they are designed to protect legitimate businesses by removing rogue operators who distort markets through tax evasion and unfair competition. By eliminating illicit trade, we are creating a predictable, secure, and enabling business environment where compliant and patriotic taxpayers can thrive," he added.
The authority has assured that it is developing strategies, including investing in intelligence-led enforcement, market surveillance, data-driven risk management, and collaboration with other government agencies, to dismantle illicit trade networks in the country.
To strengthen consumer protection and enhance voluntary compliance, KRA has urged members of the public to utilise the SOMA Label App, which enables users to instantly scan and verify the authenticity of excise stamps before purchasing excisable products.
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