By Annet Nantongo
Uganda Revenue Authority has intercepted 10,375kgs of rice and 6,000kgs of wheat in the last seven days. These interceptions were made in Namayingo, Namayemba, Busitema and Mbale.
URA made this sweep aided by intelligence tip-offs. For example, in Busitema, the team received intelligence information about a Ugandan Registered Truck UBL 482L/UBL088Q carrying transit Clinker to Rwanda, loaded with smuggled rice. After intense monitoring of the truck, it was intercepted and set aside for inspection which uncovered 4,840kgs of Hilal, Mahmood, Sana and Baraf Pakistani rice concealed inside the clinker.
In Namayingo, two interceptions were made. On 10th November, the enforcement team recovered 750kgs of Indus rice on a double cabin truck registration number UBB627J used as the means of conveyance. On 19th November, another smuggler was intercepted along Busia-Jinja road where a truck, registration number KCY237Q/ZE2410, was intercepted with a manufacturer’s seal that was being used to officer’s scepticism of any possible smuggling.
Here the team recovered 2,400 Kgs of assorted Pakistani rice, 13 bales of textile material, 7 bales of assorted garments, 4 rolls of curtain material and 5 bales of used undergarments.
Meanwhile, in Namayemba, the Malaba enforcement team successfully picked up 2,385kgs of assorted Basmati rice that was uncovered from two consolidation centres.
Rice smuggling is a common occurrence in the Eastern region, largely attributed to access to the entry ports into Uganda and many porous borders in the region. After Busia and Malaba One-Stop Border Posts, Lwakhakha and Suam River and the other controlled entry points into Uganda, leaving many un-manned areas that URA plans to take over with an increase in staff numbers and improved technology.
On the other hand, the enforcement team in Mbale trailed a syndicate of smugglers in Sebei sub-region who have mastered the game of disrupting the market with smuggled wheat flour. An Isuzu Elf, registration number UBG 568G, was nabbed in the enforcement trap and found loaded with 6,000kgs of Golden and Mother’s Choice wheat flour made in Kenya.
With offence management underway for all the intercepted goods, Sec 199 of the East African Community Customs Act of 2004, as amended, sets a fine of USD 5,000 for any means of conveyance used in smuggling, URA boss noted that the law allows URA to forfeit motor vehicles aiding smuggling.
URA remains committed to fighting smuggling with the aim of liberating Uganda from economic saboteurs that engage in illicit trade. The general public is encouraged to report to URA all suspicious trade practices in their areas in order to collectively level the trading ground in Uganda.