The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has dealt a major blow to illegal trade after impounding a huge consignment of smuggled mobile phones believed to be worth billions of shillings. The operation, carried out on Friday, May 8, 2026, led to the recovery of mobile phones estimated to fill almost an entire shipping container, with authorities saying the taxes expected from the seized goods could exceed one billion shillings once the valuation process is completed.
According to URA, the phones belonged to Isma Mugoya, who officials described as a known serial smuggler involved in repeated illegal importation activities. The successful operation started after intelligence officers tracked three tinted vehicles suspected to be transporting smuggled goods into Kampala. The vehicles were intercepted while loaded with large quantities of mobile phones, including both smartphones and ordinary button phones.
Following the interception of the vehicles, URA officials launched further investigations which led them to a storage facility linked to Mugoya. At the premises, authorities discovered even more hidden phones, increasing the size of the seizure. The suspect was immediately arrested and later handed over to police as investigations continue into the wider smuggling network behind the operation.
Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, revealed that the smuggling scheme involved an international route stretching from China to East Africa. The phones were reportedly shipped from China and first landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before being secretly transported across Lake Victoria using boats. The goods allegedly entered Uganda through landing sites such as Katosi and other nearby routes before finally being delivered to Kampala’s busy business areas.
Kalumba warned traders against engaging in tax evasion, saying such illegal practices hurt the country’s economy and create unfair competition for honest business people who comply with tax laws. He stressed that when traders avoid paying taxes, the burden becomes heavier for compliant taxpayers, while smugglers continue making unfair profits.
URA has vowed to intensify operations against smugglers and tax evaders across the country. Authorities say the latest seizure sends a strong warning to individuals involved in illegal importation that the government is closely monitoring smuggling routes and illegal business networks. The tax body also encouraged traders to use proper channels when importing goods in order to avoid arrests, confiscation of merchandise, and possible prosecution.
The dramatic seizure highlights the growing challenge of smuggling in Uganda and the government’s increasing efforts to protect legitimate businesses and boost tax collection. With investigations still ongoing, more arrests and recoveries could follow as authorities work to dismantle the entire smuggling chain behind the illegal phone trade.
