Smuggling: URA Impounds 2 Tons Of Rice, Kitenge Bales In Jinja

In the aim to deter smuggling, a team of enforcement officers from the customs department of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) have impounded a Fuso truck in Jinja with over two tons of rice. This was apparently concealed under a pile sugarcanes.

Customs officer Philip Ofubo explained that his team erected a checkpoint in Jinja last Wednesday night. This was due to increased smuggling in Eastern Uganda during the festive season. He said the checkpoints are fruitful as they are impounding smuggled goods.

“Last night at our checkpoint here at Jinja, we managed to impound M/V registration no. UBA 419G a Fuso which was seemingly conveying sugarcanes,” Ofubo narrated in a statement released by URA on Thursday, December 28. 

“But upon thorough checking, we discovered that the sugarcanes were a mere camouflage as the actual goods being conveyed where beneath the sugarcanes.”

According to the statement, the URA enforcement team also arrested the smuggler, one Fred Mutebi. He confessed to buying the merchandise from Kenya and ferrying them on Boda Bodas to the Kakira sugar plantation. Ofubo said that the smuggler hired the Fuso truck to convey the merchandise to Lugazi for sell. He was unaware of the URA checkpoint along the route.

“When we impounded the truck, we ordered the driver to drive to our base. Upon verification, we found 2,025 Kgs of Baraf and Sana rice, four bales of Kitenge fabric, seven and a half cartons of motor vehicle tyre bonding gum, and 80kgs of used shoes,” said Ofubo.

The URA Jinja enforcement team emphasized that they are committed to ensuring 100% deterrence of any form of smuggling.

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