Seven in court for possessing uncustomed goods
The bags of sugar that were seized by officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Seven suspects were arraigned in Busia for being in possession of uncustomed goods worth Sh24 million.
The suspects appeared before Busia Senior Principal Magistrate Patrick Olengo.
The uncustomed goods included 7,000 bags of sugar that was being ferried into the country from Uganda.
Officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) were informed about the illegal activity and pounced on the suspects at their homes Sikata, Bungoma County.
The court heard that the suspects, alongside others not before the court, arrived at the Malaba boarder post on October 24 with eight trucks that were later found to be loaded with uncustomed goods on transit from Uganda.
The suspects denied the charges and were released on Sh150, 000 bail each.
A court hearing has been set for March 24.
KRA’s Western Regional Coordinator Mercy Njuguna said illegitimate trade deny the government its fair share of revenue.
“Kenya Revenue Authority has continued increase surveillance along the borders in a bid to eliminate illicit trade in the country,” said Ms Njuguna.
She said that the State agency has stepped up border surveillance at all points of entry to curb smuggling of goods.
Multi-agency collaborations and intelligence sharing has also been enhanced to curb the illicit trade.
