NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 22 – The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has uncovered a major smartphone customs fraud at Eldoret International Airport after only 3,000 smartphones were declared out of 55,607 phones found in an imported consignment.

📻 Breaking It Down

The discrepancy exposed a potential Sh50.4 million revenue loss to the Government, according to KRA.

The shipment was intercepted following intelligence received by KRA investigators indicating that the cargo contained un-manifested mobile phones and other high-value electronic goods.

The consignment, which was declared under five Customs entries, also contained shoes, clothing, automotive spare parts, household goods and electronic accessories.

📌 What You Need to Know

A targeted verification by KRA investigators revealed that the consignment contained 55,607 ordinary smartphones, despite Customs declarations indicating that only 3,000 phones had been imported.

Investigators also discovered 309 high-end smartphones that had not been declared at all.

The undeclared premium devices included models such as the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max.

KRA said the findings revealed significant concealment and misrepresentation of dutiable goods, resulting in a substantial understatement of the tax obligation on the shipment.

The Authority said the operation followed actionable intelligence and was part of its intelligence-led, risk- and sector-based enforcement strategy.

KRA said the approach combines intelligence analysis, targeted profiling and field interventions to identify high-risk consignments and detect revenue leakage.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya