The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted two high-end vehicles being being smuggled into the country. The Range Rover Sport and a BMW X5 imported through the Port of Mombasa, are believed to have been stolen from the United Kingdom.
The Vehicles arrived at the Port of Mombasa in a 40-foot container on 19th February, 2019, aboard MV Maersk Brooklyn, from United Kingdom.
But a week later, on 27th February 2019, KRA Customs officers received intelligence reports that the container had suspected stolen motor vehicles. “KRA then requested Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to place the two containers on hold and subject them to scanning and verification at the Customs Warehouse,” according to a statement from KRA.
Import documents indicated that the container was carrying one Mercedes Benz A180 and a BMW 125I Sport. When the container was scanned on 28th March, 2019, images revealed the shapes of the two high-end vehicles.
Upon verification by a multi-agency team on 3rd April, 2019, the container was found with one unit of a used Range Rover Sport HSE SDV6 and another unit unit of used BMW X5. The vehicles declared in the manifest and bill of lading were not found in the container.
According to the manifest, the exporter was Kola Solomon from London, UK, and the consignee was listed as Namanya Alex of Kampala, Uganda.
KRA is working with other local and international investigation and law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute those behind this international vehicle smuggling syndicate.
