By Robert Mutasi 
Customs officials have intercepted a consignment containing suspected narcotic substances with an estimated street value of KSh25.45 million at Eldoret International Airport.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said the shipment arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and had been declared as cosmetics destined for Mombasa.
The consignment was subjected to X-ray scanning and subsequent physical inspection after customs officials identified concerns with the shipment.
According to KRA, the package contained 141 items in different forms, including soap-like blocks, gel-filled containers and powders concealed among products declared as consumer goods.
The shipment had been declared as a single package weighing about 27.2 kilogrammes. KRA said the accompanying documentation also contained gaps, including limited verifiable information about the shipper and consignee.
“This made it difficult to establish the parties behind the shipment,” the authority said.
Samples from the suspected substances were taken to the Government Chemist Laboratory in Kisumu for analysis.
Laboratory tests established that two batches contained controlled substances.
KRA said 13 blue soap-like blocks weighing 1,381.01 grams tested positive for methamphetamine. The items were assigned an estimated street value of KSh11.05 million.
A further 14 maroon gel containers weighing 4,802.86 grams tested positive for amphetamine, with an estimated street value of KSh14.41 million.
Combined, the two batches had an estimated street value of KSh25.45 million.
However, not all the items in the consignment contained narcotic or psychotropic substances.
According to KRA, laboratory tests found that 24 containers of white powder, 24 containers of blue powder, 28 grey flaky fragments, 24 light-green powder-filled envelopes, 14 brown gel containers and other assorted packages did not contain narcotic or psychotropic substances.
The entire consignment has since been handed over to the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Eldoret International Airport.
The unit is expected to conduct further investigations and take enforcement action based on the findings.
The interception comes days after customs officials at the same airport uncovered another suspected tax evasion scheme involving thousands of smartphones.
Over the weekend, KRA said officers intercepted 53,607 smartphones that had allegedly been under-declared in an attempt to evade taxes amounting to KSh21.5 million.
The latest interception highlights the role of Eldoret International Airport as an important entry point for goods into the country and a facility through which authorities monitor cargo for possible violations of customs and other laws.
KRA said its officers will continue working with other enforcement agencies to detect prohibited goods, verify cargo declarations and prevent illicit trade through the country’s points of entry.
Investigations into the narcotics consignment are ongoing, with authorities expected to establish the individuals or entities behind the shipment and determine how the controlled substances were concealed and transported into the country.