URA Intercepts 448 Smuggled Phones Worth Over Shs270 Million at Entebbe Airport

ENTEBBE – Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers have seized 448 mobile phones valued at more than US$76,704 in a series of operations targeting smuggling and tax evasion at Entebbe International Airport.

According to URA Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, the seizures reflect a growing trend in which traffickers are increasingly attempting to bring mobile phones into the country illegally to avoid paying taxes.

One of the operations uncovered an alleged insider scheme involving a terminal cleaner at the airport. Investigators say the cleaner was recruited to help smugglers bypass normal security procedures by receiving high-value smartphones inside a restroom and concealing them on her body.

However, enforcement officers became suspicious after noticing her unusual and stiff manner of walking. A thorough search was conducted, leading to the discovery of 40 smartphones hidden in her underwear. The devices were immediately confiscated and investigations launched into the smuggling network behind the operation.

In a separate intelligence-led operation, URA officers disrupted what authorities described as a sophisticated black-market scheme operating through the airport’s premium lounge facilities.

Acting on specific information, officers intercepted a traveler who had reportedly presented themselves as a VIP passenger. A search of the individual’s luggage uncovered 60 high-end smartphones that had not been properly declared. The seizure dealt a significant blow to the suspected smuggling ring, according to URA.

Kalumba said all confiscated consignments remain in the custody of the tax authority and that offence management procedures are currently underway.

The authority has warned individuals involved in illicit trade that surveillance and enforcement efforts at the country’s main airport have been strengthened to detect and stop attempts to evade taxes.

Meanwhile, URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi has encouraged taxpayers to embrace voluntary compliance rather than engage in smuggling and other illegal activities.

He pointed to the ongoing tax waiver programme, which grants a 100 percent waiver on accumulated interest and penalties for taxpayers who clear all outstanding principal domestic taxes incurred up to June 30, 2024. The programme is available to eligible taxpayers who settle their tax obligations by June 30, 2026.

Musinguzi said the initiative provides an opportunity for taxpayers to regularize their affairs and contribute to national development while avoiding the legal consequences associated with tax evasion.