DCI, KRA Raid Nairobi Apartment, Seize Illegal Cigarettes Worth Ksh30M

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) alongside officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on Tuesday, April 11 intercepted illicit cigarettes worth over Ksh30 million from a house in Kahawa West, Nairobi County.

In a statement by the DCI, the cigarettes were believed to have been smuggled into the country before they were seized by the multi-agency team of detectives based at the Economic & Commercial Crimes Unit and KRA officials.

The multi-agency team had first laid a trap by posing as clients who wanted to buy the goods from a woman who lived in the residential area.

Boxes of cigarettes recovered by undercover police in Kahawa West on April 12, 2023. /DCI

"The consignment comprising of over 20,000 packets of popular Supermatch and Palma Safari cigarettes brands was seized by the undercover team posing as potential clients at a residential house along Riara road, near Shra Engineering in Kahawa West, Nairobi County," stated the DCI in part.

The DCI added that the illegal consignment may have originated from different countries owing to the stamps that were traced to the neighbouring Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

The detectives identified the suspect, a woman, who was arrested and detained in police custody pending her arraignment in court amidst ongoing investigations.

"Also recovered during the operation were assorted counterfeit stamps from the Kenya Revenue Authority and Uganda Revenue Authority as well as empty cigarette cartons labelled British American Tobacco (BAT), Kenya and Supermatch. 

"One suspect identified as Veronicah Njeri Kariuki was arrested and detained at Muthaiga police station, where she is assisting detectives with investigations before being arraigned in court," added the DCI.

The detectives further revealed that the total tax lost through the smuggled cigarettes is estimated at Ksh18 million.

Kenyans were urged to look out for suspicious goods in the market with detectives urging members of the public to work with them in identifying illegal products.

To do this, the DCI urged Kenyans to report similar incidents to the agency through its hotline 0800 722 203.