UWA Takes Over 8 Tonnes of Seized Wildlife Contraband Stored at Entebbe for Over a Decade

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has taken custody of more than eight tonnes of wildlife contraband that had been stored by the Aviation Police at Entebbe International Airport for over 14 years.

The transfer, conducted on Friday at Entebbe International Airport, involved a vast collection of wildlife products seized through joint operations between UWA, the Uganda Police Force, and other security agencies from 2011 to 2025.

According to officials, the contraband includes 6,017 kilograms of ivory, 2,030 kilograms of pangolin scales, 114 kilograms of rhino horns, 8.8 kilograms of hippopotamus teeth, as well as lion teeth, animal skins, and ostrich eggshells. The total weight of the exhibits is estimated at around 8,000 kilograms.

Some of the ivory was reportedly concealed inside containers labelled as shea butter, highlighting the increasingly sophisticated methods used by international wildlife trafficking networks to evade detection.

Speaking during the handover, Superintendent of Police Adam Kitatta, represented by SP Irene Mugoya, said the exhibits had remained under the care of the Aviation Police since they were confiscated at the airport during various anti-trafficking operations.

He noted that the long-term storage of the materials had placed pressure on available facilities and thanked UWA for accepting responsibility for the exhibits. He also praised officers involved in safeguarding the evidence and confirmed that a joint inventory exercise had established that all items remained intact.

UWA Assistant Commissioner for Law Enforcement and Operations, Margret Kasumba, commended the Aviation Police for preserving the exhibits over the years and said inventory checks confirmed that all items matched the original seizure records.

Kasumba emphasized that cooperation among enforcement agencies remains critical in combating wildlife crime. She credited enhanced surveillance measures, including the introduction of a canine detection unit at Entebbe International Airport in 2018, for helping reduce large-scale trafficking attempts through the airport.

Officials say major wildlife seizures at Entebbe have become less common in recent years as traffickers increasingly avoid the airport due to tighter security controls.

Despite these gains, Uganda continues to face significant wildlife trafficking challenges. The country remains both a transit route and a destination for criminal networks dealing in illegal wildlife products. Its location between several countries in the region has made it an attractive corridor for smugglers seeking to move contraband across borders.

Elephant ivory remains one of the most sought-after wildlife products on international black markets, while pangolin scales continue to be trafficked for traditional medicine and luxury markets. Rhino horns and hippopotamus teeth also attract high prices, making them targets for organized criminal groups.

According to conservation records, Uganda experienced a rise in wildlife trafficking cases over the past decade. Between 2015 and 2020, authorities confiscated nearly 10 tonnes of ivory, 1,374 kilograms of pangolin scales, and 17.8 kilograms of rhino horn.

Wildlife crime continues to threaten Uganda’s tourism industry and conservation efforts. Security experts have previously warned that some trafficking networks have links to armed groups operating in unstable regions, making the illegal wildlife trade a broader security concern.

Authorities say ongoing investments in surveillance, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency cooperation have helped curb trafficking activities. However, challenges such as poverty around protected areas, human-wildlife conflict, and organized poaching networks continue to fuel illegal wildlife harvesting.

As UWA assumes custody of the seized exhibits, officials say the transfer serves as a reminder of both the scale of wildlife trafficking and the progress made in strengthening Uganda’s response to environmental crime.

The exhibits will now undergo the next stages of legal and administrative processing as authorities continue efforts to dismantle trafficking networks operating within and beyond Uganda’s borders.