Smuggled milk powder belonging to Eastleigh traders surrendered to state
A Nairobi court has ordered the forfeiture of assorted brands of smuggled milk powder worth over Ksh500,000 recently seized in Eastleigh, Nairobi in multi-agency operations.
The orders by Milimani Chief Magistrate Bernard Ochoi follow an application by State Prosecutor James Gachoka to have the milk be surrendered to Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for disposal as provided for under Sections 215 and 217 (2)(a) of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004, respectively to avoid the uncustomed goods from being sold.
The forfeiture directive comes after the trader identified by his alias Yahye Abdisalaam Ahmed was convicted and sentenced to a fine of Ksh235,000 after pleading guilty to the three charges of owning uncustomed goods and was discharged on charges of importing dairy produce into the country without a valid licence and failure pay levy to Kenya Dairy Board.
The goods, belonging to Yahye, were seized by a multi-agency team at the J&B Building at Eastleigh Estate in February 2024. The milk powder brands include several brands of Hilwa, Anchor Nura, Hannan, Nan Optipro and SMA Breast milk powder.
Yahye accepted that he was in possession of uncustomed goods contrary to section 200(d) (iii) of the EACCMA, 2004 Act on April 17, 2024. The goods have a customs value of KSh507,915.
15 other traders have been arraigned before Milimani Law Courts for similar charges after several tonnes of smuggled milk powder were seized during multi-agency operations in Nairobi in January 2024. Their cases are still pending.
They include Said Ali Yusuf, Abdi Husein Ibrein, Abdinoor Rashid Mursal, Abdirazack Said Ali, Abdirasack Abdikarir and Abdulahi Mohamed who were arrested on January 6, 2024, during a raid on Halgan store in Eastleigh where 350 kgs of fresh full cream milk powder, 61 kgs of Aptamil breast milk powder and 8 kgs of Nan Optipro milk powder was confiscated.
Seven others including Amhed Ibrahim, Osama Abdikarim, Abdimalik Mohamed, Abdiwahid Osman, Said Abdulahi, Dahir Hussein and Nabusuwa were caught on January 16, 2024, with 7,284 tins of assorted milk powder brands and 7 bags of Hilwa branded milk powder without valid import permit and proof of payment of customs duty.
Others are Dahir Amhed Hassan and Abdifitah Amhed Dahir who were arrested on January 16, 2024, at a Safaricom shop in Eastleigh with 408 bags of uncustomed Hilwa milk powder each weighing 25 kgs.
Deployment of robust investigations and intelligence techniques and the multi-agency team collaboration has led to successful interceptions of illicit goods across the country to curb illicit trade and other transnational crimes to ensure Kenya’s national interests are safeguarded.
