The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) customs enforcement team has seized over 50 bags of smuggled rice and garments in Buchicha parish, Busitema Sub County, Busia.
Just before the festivities, the URA Busitema enforcement team received intelligence from Mr. Rice (alias) who usually informs on tax offenders in Naluwerere village.
They tracked down and interrogated the suspects and later discovered 51 bags of 25 kgs of Mahmood rice from Kenya hidden in their premises.
In another field operation, the team guided by the Rilo eastern, impounded smuggled garments following a tip off from one of URA’s informers in Buchicha parish in Busia district.
The URA enforcement officers apprehended the smugglers and the goods were impounded and laden on a truck to URA premises.
On verification, the URA officers found 3336 packets of assorted shirts, 2981 packets of assorted t-shirts, 2628 packets of assorted sports jerseys , 2507 packets of assorted jean trousers,1940 packets of assorted girls skirts and 1338 packets of assorted jumpers.
URA urged the general public to desist from smuggling acts as they hinder the transformation and development of the economy.
Clothes, rice and wheat flour are among the most smuggled goods according to the revenue authority.
Across the Kenya-Uganda border, there is booming petty trade, which fuels the smuggling of goods from one country to the other even after the government has made it hard for people to smuggle goods across the borders.
