Alcohol manufacturer London Distillers East Africa is among the companies that will lose their goods after the company failed to collect its consignment from the Internal Container Depot in Embakasi, Nairobi.
In a Gazette notice on Friday, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said that it would start auctioning the goods in 30 days starting January 4, 2023.
KRA auctions goods when owners fail to claim the cargo 30 days after transferring to a bonded warehouse.
The manufacturer will be among the biggest as the taxman has seized five of its containers, three of which are 40-foot containers while the other two are 20-foot.
“Pursuant to the provisions of section 42 of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004, notice is given that unless the under-mentioned goods are entered and removed from the Customs Warehouse within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice, they will be sold by public auction on January 5, 2023,” said KRA in Gazette Notice.
Some of London Distiller’s alcoholic beverages that were seized by KRA include a 40-foot container of vermouth and other wine of fresh grapes flavoured with plants and premium whiskey.
The Athi-River-based manufacturer, which also distributes imported brands like Ballentine's whiskey, is just one of the many brewers that have been at loggerheads with the taxman.
In November, the liquor manufacturer won a Sh3 billion tax dispute against Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) after a five-member tribunal allowed an appeal filed by the alcohol manufacturer.
The tax appeals tribunal quashed the demand by the taxman saying KRA failed to prove claims of tax evasion against the manufacturer, as required by the Evidence Act.
