The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intercepted a vehicle carrying suspected smuggled fabrics along the Busia-Kampala route in Eastern Uganda, in an operation based on intelligence received by its enforcement team.
The suspects were travelling in a Toyota Noah, registration number UBQ 794J, loaded with fabrics reportedly obtained from a consolidation store in Busia. Acting on information about the vehicle’s movements, the URA enforcement team positioned itself along possible routes used by the smugglers.
The vehicle was later spotted at Magamaga Trading Centre, where it reportedly matched the description and identifying marks provided by informers. URA officers immediately began pursuing it towards Jinja.
The chase continued until the vehicle reached Kubili in Jinja, where the driver allegedly abandoned it and fled while the vehicle was still in motion.
Upon inspecting the vehicle, URA officers recovered 120 rolls of polyester poplin uniform material and five bales of kitenge fabric. The suspects were subsequently arrested and taken for further offence management.
The operation followed another enforcement action targeting a suspected smuggling route to a consolidation point in Iganga. In that operation, URA recovered 100 bundles of kitenge fabric, 10 pieces of 25-yard gomesi material and 140 rolls of Dira material.
URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi Rujoki has reiterated the authority’s zero-tolerance stance towards corruption and smuggling, warning that the tax body will continue targeting both internal and external actors involved in activities that undermine revenue collection.
Musinguzi said URA has introduced several measures to fight corruption and illegal activities at border points and warned that the authority intends to make smuggling and corruption increasingly costly for those involved.
The crackdown comes shortly after a separate sting operation in which a senior URA official was arrested over an alleged solicitation of a $60,000 bribe, further highlighting the authority’s efforts to tackle corruption within its ranks while also intensifying enforcement against external smugglers.
