The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has arrested a key suspect linked to Kampala’s illicit smartphone trade, recovering 4,371 illegally imported phones in a targeted enforcement operation in the city centre.
The operation “led by the URA Team One Enforcement Unit” intercepted a large consignment of smuggled devices, many believed to be refurbished, or stolen phones reintroduced into the local market. Authorities say the seizure could recover over Shs 500 million in taxes and penalties after verification and valuation.
According to URA, the illegal trade has been thriving through concealed shipments and covert distribution channels stretching across the downtown electronics corridor, from Kampala Road to Luwum Street.
“As transformational warriors, we shall not drop the baton until the phone market is cleaned of these economic saboteurs,” said URA officer Alex Murungi, reaffirming the authority’s commitment to sustained enforcement operations.
Investigations indicate that smugglers have adopted increasingly sophisticated methods to evade detection. Phones have been found hidden inside clothing, power bank casings, and even hollowed-out laptop bodies. Others are ferried through long-distance buses, while boda-boda couriers take advantage of congested streets to move small batches unnoticed.
A growing method, known as human warehousing, involves organised groups carrying devices in small quantities across borders to minimize the risk of large-load seizures.
URA warns that the illicit smartphone market deprives the government of revenue, destabilises legitimate importers, and exposes buyers to counterfeit or stolen gadgets lacking warranties or quality guarantees.
The tax agency says it will continue to tighten import systems, enhance enforcement technologies, and pursue all actors involved in the illegal network as part of ongoing operations to sanitise the electronics market.
