URA’s Team One Enforcement intercepted a clandestine attempt to transport textiles concealed within what appeared to be a farmer’s goods. Despite the initial appearance of transporting agricultural produce, closer inspection revealed sacks containing rolls of textiles, a valuable commodity.
Acting on intelligence gathered through their networks, Team One successfully intercepted 34 rolls of textiles, totaling 10,573.79 square meters, commonly used in the production of curtains and chairs. The interception highlights the effectiveness of URA’s surveillance and enforcement efforts in combating smuggling activities.
The operation was initiated based on information received during the early hours of the morning, indicating suspicious concealment of textiles on a truck originating from the eastern region of the country. Promptly responding to the tip-off, the enforcement team remained on standby until 2:00 a.m. when they moved in and apprehended the individuals unloading the textiles, which were camouflaged alongside bunches of matooke (cooking bananas) in Kyengera. Subsequently, the truck was impounded, and the confiscated goods were transported to URA headquarters in Nakawa for further verification.
Upon preliminary questioning, the driver claimed ignorance about the concealed textiles, asserting that the goods were loaded in Sironko. However, subsequent verification revealed that the textiles originated from China and were smuggled into Uganda via Kenya, underscoring the sophisticated nature of the smuggling operation.
The interception of these textiles is part of URA’s ongoing efforts to combat smuggling, which poses a significant threat to the country’s revenue collection. In April alone, outright smuggling accounted for 11% of the recovered revenue, with undeclared goods constituting a staggering 68%. To address this challenge, URA has implemented robust risk mitigation strategies aimed at curbing illicit trade activities.
During the same period, URA recorded a total of 190 seizures weekly, with the fraudulent value of dutiable goods amounting to USD 173,614, and non-dutiable goods valued at USD 2,900. These statistics underscore the magnitude of the smuggling problem in Uganda.
