Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers in Jinja have intercepted an ambulance masquerading as a life-saving vehicle but instead ferrying smuggled Kitenge fabrics and head beanies destined for the Kampala market.
What started as an ordinary Sunday took an unexpected turn when the ambulance, registration number UBA 911M, blaring sirens and lights, stormed towards the Jinja checkpoint.
The driver, with a sense of urgency that would typically signal a medical emergency, frantically urged officers to clear the way, claiming to have a critical patient on board.
But the officers, acting on intelligence and with heightened suspicion, decided to investigate further. What they uncovered was not a patient fighting for life but rather, 700 pieces of cotton Kitenge fabrics and 388 head beanies, tightly packed under the guise of a medical emergency.
In a statement posted on its social media platforms, URA said the smuggled goods were disguised as patients in the ambulance.
“Whenever one sees an ambulance, the fear for the worst kicks in and natural instinct drives motorists to steer aside to make way for the patient to have a fighting chance at life. The last thing on anyone's mind is the possibility of that 'patient' being a stash of smuggled goods. This, actually happened on Sunday, in this, our country Uganda.”
The URA enforcement officers had earlier tracked the suspicious vehicle as it veered off the usual routes, attempting to outmaneuver detection by taking the Tororo-Namutumba-Iganga road.
However, the evasive tactics failed as the vigilant Jinja team, known for its resilience against smuggling activities from the Eastern corridor, swiftly intercepted the vehicle.
The Jinja checkpoint has become a critical choke point in URA’s battle against contraband flooding the country. Like the famed Pakwach outpost in the North, it serves as the proverbial last stand before illicit goods slip into Uganda’s commercial arteries.
This incident is just the latest chapter in a growing list of bold smuggling attempts.
Only weeks earlier, the same enforcement unit cracked down on a syndicate trafficking used smartphones.
After receiving intelligence on smugglers exploiting border loopholes, URA’s team intercepted a vehicle near the bridge to Mbale. Hidden in the rear seat was a bag containing 188 assorted used smartphones, all undocumented.
In another sting operation, a taxi passenger was caught with 110 used smartphones concealed in a small bag. The suspect, Eric Noyonkuru, raised further alarm when some of the phones suspiciously kept ringing during the officers’ interrogation a sign of frantic accomplices trying to reclaim their loot.
The crackdown didn’t stop there. The enforcement team also netted another consignment of 20 undocumented Ling Long tyres in varying sizes further proof of the relentless attempts by smugglers to bypass legal trade channels.
URA remains firm in its resolve to close these illegal avenues, protect legitimate traders, and ensure the country does not lose vital revenue to cunning schemes.
“The audacity of smugglers continues to surprise us, but our commitment to fight corruption and safeguard Uganda’s economy remains undeterred,” a URA enforcement officer remarked.
As smugglers become more creative even going so far as to exploit the sanctity of ambulances Uganda Revenue Authority vows to stay one step ahead.
For now, what could have been a silent infiltration into Kampala's markets was halted in its tracks, proving once again that no disguise is foolproof against determined enforcement.