On July 23, 2024, an operation between the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and Interpol led to the recovery of stolen vehicles from the United Kingdom in Uganda. The operation was triggered by intelligence received from the non-intrusive inspection team, which revealed that a container held two Toyota RAV4 2020 models with fabricated chassis numbers.
Wanjalo Moses, the former Head of the Joint Port Control Unit, stated that the vehicles are currently held in the DAKS Courier’s Bond in Mukono while investigations continue to identify and apprehend the suspects involved.
“We received intelligence reports about a container coming from the Port of London Gateway, headed for Kampala. When the container arrived, we worked with Interpol to inspect it and discovered two vehicles with fake chassis numbers overlaid on the original ones,” Wanjalo said.
The vehicles were shipped with falsified log books. Interpol Officer SCP Obwona Joseph explained that the stolen vehicles were identified through digital checks.
“We used the INTERPOL i24/7 Data System to check the reported stolen vehicles and confirmed the original chassis numbers of the two vehicles as stolen in the UK,” Obwona said.
This joint operation highlights the success of collaboration between national and international agencies in fighting vehicle-related crime and enhancing public safety.
A November 2021 headline from The Observer, “Uganda: Haven for Stolen Cars,” noted Uganda as a major destination for stolen high-value SUVs from Europe. BBC reports also mention that stolen vehicles being shipped to Africa is a significant issue for the UK, with hundreds of thousands of cars passing through Southampton docks each year.
Wanjalo emphasized that importing stolen vehicles tarnishes Uganda’s international reputation and underscores the importance of tackling such illegal activities.
