URA intercepts over 2,600kgs of smuggled rice

Uganda Revenue Authority Customs has intercepted 2,460 kilograms of rice that entered the country through porous borders in Busia.

Customs officer Philip Ofubo said that they intercepted a Toyota Drone on Wednesday night in the Kakira sugar plantation headed to Jinja carrying rice and chewing gum without any documentation.

Another interception was in Mbale involving a Fuso truck registration number UBM 399L carrying onions and 800 kgs of smuggled rice.

“During one of our drives, we intercepted a taxi registration number UBL 283A headed to Jinja full of rice and chewing gum. These goods were being conveyed with no documents,” said Ofubo.

He explained that the interception follows heightened spot checks in the region.

“The Jinja enforcement team embarked on spot checks and focused operation drives targeting high-risk regional items including rice, and engine oil which are severally smuggled during the festive season. The smugglers unexpectedly fell into our mobile spot checks and we brought them to our base in Jinja,” noted the customs officer.

Smugglers avoid URA checkpoints and use various porous borders to reach their consolidation centers.

Upon verification, URA officers found 1,300 kgs of Baraf rice, 360 kgs of Mahmood rice and 68 packets of PK and Big G chewing gum.

Uganda Revenue Authority therefore wishes to reiterate that acts of smuggling are bad practices and the fight against smuggling shall continue so as to  liberate Uganda from economic saboteurs engaging in illicit trade.

The general public is encouraged to report to URA all suspicious trade practices in their areas to enable URA create a level trading ground for all legitimate traders.

Offence management is ongoing.

In October, URA acquired a machine to conduct tests and ascertain the origin of imported rice. The machine was provided by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Kampala to strengthen institutional collaboration and constitute a multi-agency working group to tackle economic crime challenges like tax evasion, money laundering, illicit financial flows, and cyber threats, among others.

The agencies involved in the new war against smuggling are the Financial Intelligence Authority, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Bank of Uganda, the Uganda Communications Commission, the External Security Organization, and the Internal Security Organization. Others are the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Directorate of Immigration, the Crimes Intelligence, Uganda Prisons, and Uganda Wildlife Authority.