A passenger bus headed to Nairobi from Uganda has been intercepted after Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers uncovered cigarettes, shisha tobacco and powdered milk worth Sh46.77 million hidden inside the vehicle.
The seized consignment had been concealed in compartments on the bus as it travelled along the Uganda-Kenya route, in what KRA said was an attempt to move the goods into the country without detection.
The authority said the illicit cargo could have denied the government Sh29.177 million in taxes had it reached the market.
“Our enforcement officers have seized smuggled cigarettes, shisha tobacco and powdered milk worth Sh46.77 million, with Sh29.177 million in taxes at risk,” KRA said.
The latest interception forms part of KRA’s wider crackdown on smuggling, tax evasion and other forms of illicit trade along Kenya’s border points and major transport routes.
According to KRA’s annual revenue report, the Customs and Border Control department intercepted illicit goods valued at Sh549 million during the 2024/25 financial year. The operations involved scanning equipment, data analytics and risk profiling to identify suspicious consignments.
The department collected Sh879.329 billion during the same financial year, marking an 11.1 per cent rise from the Sh791.368 billion recorded in 2023/24.
Its collections also surpassed the annual target of Sh830.368 billion by Sh48.961 billion.
KRA has previously identified illicit trade as a challenge to both government revenue and legitimate businesses because contraband can enter the market without payment of the required taxes or compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements.
In the latest case, the cigarettes, shisha tobacco and powdered milk were reportedly packed away in concealed sections of the passenger bus, allowing the consignment to be transported alongside travellers while avoiding normal detection measures.
KRA did not disclose the exact point where the bus was stopped along the Uganda-Kenya corridor. The authority also did not state whether any suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Beyond revenue protection, KRA said its enforcement work seeks to shield consumers and compliant businesses from the impact of illegal products.
“We remain committed to protecting public health, legitimate businesses and government revenue,” KRA said.
The use of hidden spaces to transport illicit consignments has previously featured in enforcement operations in Kenya.
In August 2024, KRA, working with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, seized 40,971 litres of smuggled ethanol worth Sh26.9 million. The ethanol had been concealed inside tanker trucks transporting imported molasses, with the operation averting a potential tax loss of more than Sh20.5 million.
KRA has continued to increase customs enforcement as it seeks to safeguard the tax base. During the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year, Customs and Border Control collected Sh733.7 billion, an increase of 13.3 per cent compared with the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
The Uganda-Kenya corridor remains an important regional trade route, connecting the two countries and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods to wider East African markets.
The latest seizure adds to KRA’s enforcement operations aimed at uncovering concealed consignments, stopping illicit products from entering the Kenyan market and preventing losses in government revenue.