Jump to full article: East African Standard (ke), 2005-05-09
Author: Benson Kathuri
Intro: BAT East Africa loses Sh1.9 billion to smugglers annually, a Ugandan-based think tank has disclosed.
The Economic Policy Research Centre says that cigarettes top the list of the most smuggled goods across the borders of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC Congo.
"BAT in the East African region loses about Sh1.9 billion annually and assuming the production level was to remain the same and a diversion of 10 per cent takes place, the loss to revenue bodies is estimated to average Sh91.3 million," said Dr Marios Obwona, the center chief executive.
. . .
However leaders from the three East African countries have resolved to step up a joint effort to curb rising smuggling activities across common borders.
Speaking after attending a regional workshop on illicit trade organised by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra)/ Economic Policy Research Centre-Uganda (EPRC), the leaders said the trade undermined trade expansion.
The more than 100 delegates who attended the event were drawn from regional revenue authorities, enforcement agencies, private sector and civil service.
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