America has said Kenya is a hotbed of criminals, drug-trafficking and money laundering, with wealthy politicians stacking in excess of Sh5 trillion overseas.
In the latest report compiled by International Narcotics Strategy, Kenya has been rated one of the most red-hot countries with the highest organized, and economic crimes.
“Criminal activities include transnational organized crime, cybercrime, corruption, smuggling, trade invoice manipulation, illicit trade in drugs and counterfeit goods, trade in illegal timber and charcoal, and wildlife trafficking,” read the report.
Crime centre-point
The US noted that Kenya was a transit point for regional and international drug traffickers as well as trade-based money laundering (TBML) activities.
“Kenya’s proximity to Somalia makes it an attractive location for laundering piracy-related proceeds, and a black market exists for smuggled and grey market goods,” stated the report.
Foreign currency
The State Department was also aware of the massive amounts of international currency in the country and their contribution to money laundering.
“Financial institutions engage in currency transactions connected to international narcotics trafficking involving significant amounts of U.S. currency derived from illegal sales in Kenya, other East Africa countries, the United States, and elsewhere,” the US decried.
Difficult tracking
The US government reported that it was difficult for Kenya to track cash-based transfers involving foreign nationals.
According to a 2018 research conducted by American think tank National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), wealthy Kenyans have hidden as much as Ksh5 trillion in overseas accounts.
But who are these making Kenya have a bad name?