URA Busts Major Smuggling Ring in Busia, Seizes Contraband Goods.
By Amos Ssemuwemba
In a significant crackdown on cross-border smuggling, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has conducted a major operation, leading to the seizure of large quantities of contraband goods in the Sofia and Daban areas of Busia.
The operation, which followed weeks of intelligence gathering, culminated in the interception of a vehicle suspected to be involved in smuggling activities. The vehicle, with registration number UAH 073N, was stopped along Milo Nane Road at 4:00 a.m. while transporting suspected smuggled rice from Kenya. It was immediately impounded and driven to the URA station in Busia.
According to URA officials, further surveillance and investigations revealed more illegal activities in the area. These efforts led to the confiscation of various smuggled goods, including:
1.37 cartons of Dunia Wheat Flour from Kenya
24 bales of worn clothes
5 bags of Bamburi Cement from Kenya
4 pieces of Ling Long tyres
17 bags of Muhamood Rice from Pakistan
30 bags of Baraf Rice from India
15 rolls of viscose material
In addition to the goods, URA also seized one motorcycle (registration number UFJ 911P) and a Toyota Rav 4 (registration number UAH 073N), which were believed to have been used in the illegal operations.
The crackdown comes as part of a broader effort to combat smuggling at Uganda’s borders, particularly in regions like Busia, which serve as critical entry points for illegal goods from neighboring countries.
