Juba-bound illicit cigarette seizure exposes Mombasa’s smuggling gaps

Contraband cigarettes were seized at the Port of Mombasa by a multi-agency team of investigators.

Photo credit: Antony Kitimo | Nation Media Group

A multi-agency team of investigators, including Interpol, has seized contraband cigarettes worth $570,000 in Mombasa that were destined for South Sudan.

The seizure of the goods from Cambodia exposes the Kenyan coast’s vulnerability to illicit trade, amid concerns by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over smuggling and trade in counterfeit goods through the Port of Mombasa.