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Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers recently intercepted a truck carrying 7,500 kilograms of smuggled Bakers wheat flour. The truck, with registration number UAZ 786D, was stopped by the URA team in Lwakhakha as it was heading towards Mbale city.The seized consignment included 150 bags of wheat flour, each weighing 50 kilograms. When the enforcement officers trapped the truck, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.
On the same day, May 17th, URA’s enforcement team also seized over 20 bales of worn clothes and 8 motorcycles that were being used to transport un-customed goods. These items were recovered as part of the same enforcement operation.
Wheat smuggling has become a frequent issue in the Eastern region of Uganda. Recent operations by URA have shown a pattern of vehicles and motorcycles being used to illegally bring goods into the market.
For instance, in August 2023, URA discovered 150 cartons of wheat flour at a consolidation center in Mbale. This was after they trailed a known smuggler from Bukwo to the location where the goods were hidden. In October 2023, URA’s enforcement team in Busitema intercepted a Fuso truck with registration number UBP 736H carrying 5,750 kilograms of smuggled wheat flour from Kenya. The following month, in November, an Isuzu Elf with registration number UBL 193F was intercepted at Narugugu junction. The truck was carrying 350 cartons of Pembe wheat flour as it attempted to enter the Bukwo area.
URA warns that taxpayers whose goods are confiscated during enforcement operations risk incurring additional costs. These costs can increase due to the storage duration if the goods are not cleared or redeemed promptly. URA spokesperson, Ibrahim Bbossa, noted that rent for stored goods is calculated based on the cubic meters the goods occupy, measured in terms of length, width, and height.
Bbossa advised traders to avoid smuggling to prevent penalties and additional costs, such as storage rent. He also mentioned the risk of losing goods entirely if they are sold in a public auction.