Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) seized 529 electronic items valued at about KSh13 million during an enforcement operation at a residential apartment in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
The haul included 358 laptops – 269 Dell, 83 HP and six Lenovo units – nine iPad Mini tablets and 162 assorted accessories, among them 150 Bluetooth devices, six laptop chargers and six laptop batteries.
KRA officers acted on intelligence that a foreign national was operating an illegal business involving the movement and storage of electronic goods without complying with customs and tax requirements.
The authority said the items are suspected of having been smuggled into Kenya without payment of the required duties and taxes, and they have been placed in KRA custody while investigations establish their source and the applicable obligations.
KRA warned that the use of residential premises as warehouses for commercial goods is an emerging practice that gives an unfair advantage to traders who evade taxes over those that comply with the law.
The agency urged the public to report suspected smuggling or tax evasion through its iWhistle platform and indicated that further action will be taken after investigations are completed.
