Court Allows KRA to Inspect 82 Suspicious Containers Detained at Mombasa Port

The High Court has allowed Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) 100 percent inspection of 82 suspicious containers detained at the Mombasa port.

The 82 forty-foot containers declared as black tea from Iran and Vietnam were imported by Cup of Joe Limited between April and June last year, according to KRA.

Justice John Mativo gave the orders on Friday after visiting the Container Freight Station (CFS) at Miritini for hearing of a case in which the importer is seeking judicial review of KRA’s decision to detain the containers.

The importer had filed an application seeking to have the verification order suspended and the goods released on grounds that a multi-agency team had already conducted the same exercise.

The applicant said the imported black tea was for purposes of blending and eventual re-export to overseas market, adding that the company obtained all the necessary permits to import the product.

KRA told the court that it was advised by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) against releasing the containers as they are subject to criminal investigation for various offenses among them financing of terrorism, irregular importation, concealment and mis-declaration.

In an application, the Attorney-General said that the tea was detained after the government received intelligence reports that the cargo had been imported into the country under suspicious circumstances and that there were inconsistencies in what was declared in the manifest.

The court also heard that the importer requested the necessary permit to import the cargo after the government had already opened an investigation regarding the shipment.