NAIROBI, Kenya—The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has seized electronic goods worth an estimated Sh13 million during an intelligence-led operation at a residential apartment in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
The seizure involved 529 items, including 358 laptops, nine iPads and 162 assorted accessories, which KRA suspects were imported without payment of the required customs duties and taxes.
The laptops comprised 269 Dell, 83 HP and six Lenovo units, while the nine tablets were iPad Mini models. The accessories included 150 Bluetooth devices, six laptop chargers and six laptop batteries.
KRA said the operation followed intelligence pointing to suspected customs tax evasion, smuggling and the use of residential premises to store and distribute commercial goods.
The Authority said its intelligence identified a foreign national allegedly operating a business involving the movement and storage of electronic goods without complying with customs and tax requirements.
The seized items have been taken into KRA custody pending verification, further investigations and determination of the applicable tax and customs obligations.
KRA has raised concern over the growing use of residential apartments as warehouses by traders operating businesses in Nairobi’s city centre.
According to the Authority, the practice could facilitate the storage and distribution of smuggled goods while giving an unfair advantage to businesses that comply with tax and customs requirements.
The latest operation is part of KRA’s wider enforcement campaign targeting illicit trade and protecting government revenue through intelligence-led interventions.
Investigations are continuing to establish the source of the goods, how they entered the country and the individuals or businesses linked to the suspected offences.
KRA has urged members of the public to report suspected cases of smuggling, tax evasion and other forms of illicit trade through its reporting channels, including the iWhistle platform.
