Big Story: Bullet Smuggling Plot Foiled, 700 Rounds Found Hidden Under Soap

By Swift Reporter 

Police in Lamwo District have arrested three people after intercepting a consignment of 700 rounds of live ammunition allegedly smuggled into Uganda through the Apiriti Border Post.

The ammunition was recovered during an intelligence-led operation in Madiopei Town Council on Sunday night, raising fresh security concerns along the Uganda-South Sudan border.

According to Lamwo District Police Commander Superintendent Reagan Magombe, security officers received intelligence at about 8pm that a suspicious South Sudanese national had entered Uganda through Apiriti Border Post.

The information was shared with the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and officers at Madiopei Police Station, who mounted an operation to intercept the suspect.

Police identified him as Edward Peter, 24, a South Sudanese boda boda rider from Tseretenya Village in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria State.

Investigators said Peter claimed he had crossed into Uganda to buy a box of soap. He later reportedly went to a garage owned by David Nokrach in Madiopei Town Council, where he collected a package before setting off towards the border.

Security officers intercepted him at a checkpoint and searched the package.

Beneath bars of soap, they discovered a metallic ammunition box containing 700 rounds of live 7.62x39mm ammunition.

Police said the ammunition box bore markings including “7.62 × 39 mm FMJ/SC”, “LOT# 13 20-19” and “SSNF 50 05/19”.

Peter was arrested and taken back to Nokrach’s garage, where Nokrach was also detained.

During preliminary questioning, Nokrach allegedly told investigators that the package had been delivered to him by Kidega Tabu, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer of Madiopei Town Council.

Nokrach reportedly told police that Tabu had instructed him to hand over the consignment to a mechanic identified only as Lukuli in Ikotos, South Sudan.

Tabu was subsequently arrested, while police continue searching for Lukuli, who investigators believe may have played a role in arranging the movement of the ammunition.

A Bajaj motorcycle, registration number SSD 208AP, allegedly used by Peter, was also recovered and secured as an exhibit.

The case is being investigated at Lamwo Central Police Station under CRB 242/2026 in coordination with the UPDF 5th Division.

Investigators are now working to establish the source of the ammunition, its intended destination and how the consignment passed through the border area. They are also seeking to establish whether other individuals or networks were involved in the alleged movement of the bullets.

The arrests come amid heightened security scrutiny along the Uganda-South Sudan border, where authorities continue to monitor the movement of people and goods between the two countries.