Police in Kampala Metropolitan area have burned more than 56 kilograms of illegal drugs valued at UGX 3 billion. These drugs were confiscated from travelers at Entebbe International Airport between 2020 and 2023. The destruction took place at Nsambya Police Clinic on Friday.
The incineration revealed that the seized substances included 42 kilograms of unspecified narcotics, 6 kilograms of Cocaine, and 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. Ms. Juliet Baguma, the director of investigations at Civil Aviation police, disclosed during the process that these drugs can lead consumers to commit crimes such as rape, murder, robberies, and terrorism.
Ms. Baguma also pointed out that most suspects caught with the drugs faced convictions and received fines or other custodial penalties from the courts. She noted that Ugandans comprised the majority of suspects, followed by individuals from Nigeria, India, Cameroon, Senegal, Tanzania, and other countries.
During the destruction, Entebbe Chief Magistrate, Ms. Stella Maris Amabilisi, urged the government to consider amending anti-drug trafficking laws. She emphasized the need for stronger punishments to better control the issue of drug trafficking. Ms. Amabilisi highlighted that the current law suggests convicts either pay one million or face a five-year jail term, and she urged amendments to address the recurrence of offenders.
The Entebbe Chief Magistrate was accompanied by senior officers from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), canine units, aviation police, and others. According to the 2022 police annual crime report, narcotics and drug-related cases doubled to 2,797 compared to 1,668 reported in 2021. The report also indicated that 4,818 suspects were arrested and charged in court, including 137 juveniles.
