Africa-Press – Kenya. Six women have been arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport trying to smuggle Sh102 million into the country.
They were arrested Thursday by Kenya Revenue Authority customs officials.
The officials were clearing an Ethiopian Airline flight when the six arrived carrying a luggage containing shoes and clothes.
“The images showed items that looked like currency. Upon secondary verification, it was confirmed that the luggage contained us currency amounting to 857,300 US dollars,” officials said.
The suspects were coming from India aboard Ethiopian airline flight Number ET 318.
The money was intercepted and deposited into the customs warehouse for further investigations.
The women said they are regular travelers and they import clothes and shoes.
This is the latest incident to occur at the airport.
KRA said passengers are supposed to declare all cargo and items they are carrying at the ports of entry and exit as required under the provisions of the Second and Third Schedules of the EAC Customs Management Act.
In February this year, the officials intercepted Sh238 million in foreign currency from a traveller.
The suspect of Kenyan nationality had arrived in the country from Bujumbura, Burundi.
The money packed as a parcel containing two million dollars was seized following a wrongful declaration on the intended destination.
KRA said 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.
According to KRA, after clearance by Customs Unit at the airport, the traveler later presented the same money at the Swissport Cargo shed with different export documents for shipment to Global Services, UK.
“The documents produced to support the export request were different from those produced on entry into the country,” KRA said then.
Commissioner Customs and Border Control, Lillian Nyawanda said KRA had invited Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) to assist in investigating the matter as a possible money-laundering attempt. The money was held as investigations continue.
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