Unscrupulous traders are colluding with government officials to import substandard consumer goods into Kenya, where they are re-packaged as popular brands and released into the market. Mombasa leads in the number of fake goods cases at 34. The taxman has also emerged as one of the biggest victims of the black market business, as individuals trade billions every year without paying taxes. The DCI boss said that a crackdown on the black market in the last five years has averted the loss of at least Sh1.22 billion. “Unsuspecting citizens are buying goods from well-connected cartels at high prices as if the (excise) duty has been paid in full,” Mr Kinoti said.

Source: Daily Nation July 08, 2020 07:07 UTC