URA impounds smuggled cigarettes in Koboko
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) team in Koboko district have impounded a truck, Reg No UBA 408U in Koboko town that was smuggling cigarettes through a porous route.
According to the tax body, it had always been a habit for a group of unknown people to load cigarettes in trucks and conceal them in sacks of charcoal up to Kampala.
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This group had a specific residence on the Democratic Republic of Congo side at which the loading was done on a weekly basis.
During interrogation, Patrick Kachope, the arrested truck drive, said he was on his way to Kampala to drop the goods at the KK terminal in Arua Park. He said he had been promised Shs 2.5 million once the task was executed.
The truck was later driven to the Oraba Station and upon first verification, boxes of smuggled cigarettes were discovered stacked between bags of charcoal.
At least 240 bags of125 bombers of super match cigarettes made in Uganda and marked for export and four bags containing 10 cartons of Oris cigarettes were confiscated.
Julius Nkwasire, the Assistant Commissioner Enforcement at URA urged the public to hire credible persons especially clearing agents.
"If you have a truck, be sure of the driver you are recruiting and guide him. Keep checking them and ensure they offload goods within the customs-controlled area," Nkwasire warned.
He said that failure to do so would attract penalties and the affected trucks would be forfeited to the government.
URA has continued to intensify intelligence guided operations leveraging on the use of non-intrusive inspection technology at the border points and field intelligence enforcement operations.
It is also intensifying tax education awareness, especially on the dangers of smuggling to the individual, the community and the economy
