An interception of a motor vehicle carrying bottled water affixed with fake excise stamps at Kanyonyo area in Kitui County has led to discovery of more stamps worth Kshs. 850,000 in revenue at a Limuru based water factory.

The motor vehicle ferrying Farris Pure Natural Spring water with counterfeit stamps was intercepted by the Multi Agency Team (MAT) on 11th July 2020.

KRA traced the source of the stamps to Montana Supplies Limited, a water refilling plant in Tigoni, Limuru and discovered more fake and illegally acquired excise stamps totalling 42,672.

The Multi Agency team seized and detained the vehicle at Mwingi police station where KRA carried out a 100% verification on the water bottles stamps and discovered 5940 bottles of 1.5 litres of Farris Pure Spring water brand affixed with counterfeit excise stamps and 7392 bottles of 1.5 litres without excise stamps.

The water bottles had been concealed inside the truck below a consignment of water bottles of similar brand with genuine excise stamps. Further investigations by KRA at the water bottling factory led to the discovery of the fake stamps. Also recovered from the factory was a roll of partly used counterfeit excise stamps.

Two directors of the firm Idris Ahmed Boru and Garat Hassan Issack, appeared on 31st August before Milimani Court Senior Resident Magistrate Muthoni Nzibe to face charges of being in possession of fake excise stamps and another of illegal acquisition of excise stamps. Both charges are a violation of sections of Excise Duty (Excisable Goods Management System) Regulations, 2017.

The two denied the charges and were granted a cash bail of Kenya Shillings One hundred thousand (Kshs.100,000) pending hearing and determination of the case. The case will be mentioned on 17th September 2020. If found guilty, the accused are liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both a fine and imprisonment.

Commissioner, Investigations & Enforcement