There was shock in the border-town of Busia on Tuesday after government officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) intercepted illegal goods which included sex toys and bhang worth Sh13.5 million that were destined for the Kenyan market.
The contraband was later destroyed at the Busia One Stop Border Post incinerator by the KRA officials.
The illegal consignment that was burnt included 150kg of bhang, five tonnes of Pine Red and Richman branded cigarettes, several packets of Amira skin lightening cream and 15 kilogrammes of sex toys.
According to the Kenya Revenue Authority Deputy Commissioner Kevin Safari, the goods did not comply with various laws and rules.
playKRA officials, led by western deputy commissioner Kevin Safari, burn contraband at the Busia One Stop Border Post incinerator, January 16, 2018. (Leonard Ojiambo)
“We have disposed of consignments valued at approximately Sh13.5 million through destruction. The contraband goods were meant to enter the country but upon declaration they failed to pass the quality test. The sex toys are prohibited under security laws as well as pornographic materials such as artificial male and female organs, which are a threat to moral standards,”Safari stated.
Other agencies who witnessed the destruction of the illegal consignment included the National Environment Management Authority, Uganda Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards and county environment department.
“We have taken several measures to crack down on importation of these goods, including deployment of sniffer dogs, which have helped to make seizures; working closely with security agents to track down smugglers; and a regional electronic cargo tracking system that helped track down diversion of goods,” Safari added.
