The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has intercepted a luxury vehicle worth over Sh26 million suspected of having been cloned from the United Kingdom.
The vehicle in question, a Range Rover HSE Sport, was intercepted during a routine inspection at the Regional Logistics Centre Container Freight Station in Mombasa.
FBI describes car cloning as “stealing the identity of a legitimately-owned vehicle and slapping it onto a stolen car.”
It begins with a stolen vehicle where its chassis number is replaced with another one belonging to a vehicle of a similar make and model registered elsewhere.
Kebs acting Managing Director Esther Ngari said Kebs immediately started investigating the incident after the chassis of the vehicle matched one used in the UK.
“The vehicle originated in the UK and was shipped through the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but we managed to intercept it before it reached the Kenyan market,” Ms Ngari said.
Protection to consumers
She added: “Kebs is stepping up scrutiny of motor vehicles imported from countries like the UK and UAE.”
Kebs estimated the value of the vehicle to be Sh26 million.
Ms Ngari said the vigilance displayed in this case is indicative of the unwavering commitment of various agencies to maintain high-quality standards and extend protection to consumers.
“Our discovery of this cloned vehicle was not an accident, but a testament to the diligent vigilance within our ranks at Kebs. This vigilance led to the interception of a cloned Range Rover; a vehicle whose identity had been masked to make it appear legitimate. This is a significant victory in our ongoing fight against illegal and fraudulent trading practices,” added Ms Ngari.
Kebs has now handed over the seized vehicle to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for further action, which may include destruction or authorisation for its return to the country of origin.
