Police in Karamoja have arrested three suspects linked to a criminal network printing and distributing fake National Identity Cards, following complaints from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and victims.
Authorities warn more arrests may follow as investigations continue.
Police in Karamoja have apprehended three individuals involved in a criminal racket printing and distributing fraudulent National Identity Cards across the region.
The arrests include a middleman from Naturum Village in Nakapiripirit District and two suspects operating in Moroto, where the fake IDs were reportedly produced.
Karamoja Police Spokesperson Mike Longole revealed that the crackdown followed numerous complaints from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and members of the public who had been defrauded.
“We moved swiftly after receiving credible information from both NIRA and victims. More arrests are expected as investigations into the wider network continue,” Longole stated, withholding the suspects’ identities to protect ongoing operations.
Susan Talep, NIRA’s regional coordinator for Karamoja, confirmed her office had received multiple complaints from residents who were unable to renew their SIM cards after telecom providers detected fake IDs.
“These fraudsters generated false National Identification Numbers (NINs). Upon verification, the NINs, names, images, and ID numbers did not correspond with any records in our system,” Talep explained.
She emphasized that the suspects were not NIRA employees but impersonators charging unsuspecting victims for forged identity documents. While legitimate outlets are authorized to photocopy IDs for safekeeping, these criminals went further by creating entirely counterfeit cards—a serious offense.
The fraud was uncovered when individuals, especially those attempting to register new SIM cards with providers such as MTN, had their ID details rejected, prompting cross-checks with NIRA’s database.
Currently, the three suspects are held at Moroto Central Police Station, as investigations into the syndicate’s operations continue.
Police have urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to National ID documents.