By Frank Kamuntu
Uganda Revenue Authority enforcement teams have seized over 10 tons of rice and 10 tons of waste steel scraps coming into the country.
According to Customs Officer Luke Kivumbi, the Mbale enforcement team identified two traders who had planned to stock up four tons of rice smuggled into Uganda. He explained that two vehicles, an Isuzu Elf UBL 041G and Toyota Ipsum UAW 932A, were netted conveying the rice.
Kivumbi explained that the Isuzu Elf was however released after paying a penalty of USD 1,000 for conveying smuggled rice. He noted that the rice, which was repackaged, is still in URA’s possession.
In Busia, In Charge Enforcement Moses Amwine said that, during the week long operation, the enforcement team recovered numerous smuggled goods from houses, a taxi and motorcycles in town. He explained that they managed to nab a truck conveying 10 tons of waste steel scraps from Kenya.
Amwine said that guided by Intelligence-led operations, they were able to recover an assortment of taxable items from a consolidation center in Muwayo. These include rice, clothes, shoes, wheat flour, cooking oil and laundry soap.
By the time of filing this report, some traders had paid penalties and taxes to claim their goods.
According to the East Africa Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) 2004, Section 202, a person who imports any goods concealed in any way commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine equal to fifty percent of the value of the goods involved.
