Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers have confiscated Ksh238 million in foreign currencies from a traveller at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi.
In a statement to newsrooms on Thursday, KRA said the suspect, a Kenya nationality, had arrived in the country from Bujumbura, Burundi.
The suspect was flagged by customs offices based at the busy airport.
According to the taxman, the money packed as a parcel containing USD 2 million was seized following a wrongful declaration on the intended destination.
“Upon arrival, the passenger made a declaration of the currency indicating the origin as Banque de Credit de Bujumbura (BCB) to a recipient Brinks Global Services, Kenya.
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“After clearance by Customs Unit at the airport, the traveller later, presented the same money at the Swissport Cargo shed with different export documents for shipment to Global Services, UK,” said KRA.
Further, the officers established that the documents produced to support the export request were different from those produced on entry into the country.
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The inconsistencies forced the authority to confiscate the package pending money laundering probe.
Already, KRA has invited Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) to assist in investigating the matter.
“The money has been held and the matter is under investigation. KRA encourages passengers to correctly declare all cargo/items at the Ports of entry and exit as required under the provisions of the Second and Third Schedules of the EAC Customs Management Act, 2004,” KRA added.
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This is not the first time the authority has seized large sums of money at JKIA.
In November last year, KRA officer confiscated $28,000 (Ksh3.1 million) concealed in a jacket shipped into Kenya as a parcel from South Carolina state, United States.
The jacket was packed in a suitcase containing clothes and books sent to one Mr. Peter Oluwafemi Olaiwon of Nigerian nationality by Ms. Linda C Dye, a resident of South Carolina.
The suspect, KRA said, was subsequently arrested after presenting himself to collect the parcel.
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