By Irene Kabakama
Entebbe International Airport is a key entry for Uganda and because of its strategic location, criminals, especially drug traffickers, have been taking advantage by using it as a destination and transit route for drugs.
However, with the launch of Air Cargo Control Unit-office(ACCU), some of these crimes will gradually phase away. Speaking at the engagement at Imperial Heights hotel, Catherine Muyama, the Customs Regional Manager Entebbe noted that the office will address trafficking of various illicit goods. These include; drugs, wildlife, precursor chemicals, firearms, weapons of mass destruction, counterfeit products, nuclear material and other forms of organized crime activity.
The Commissioner Customs, Abel Kagumire expressed gratitude to the European Union, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) for their valuable cooperation to Uganda towards trade facilitation.
According to Kagumire, the initiative is a welcome development towards increased trade volumes through the Airport. For example, for the financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21; the volume of imports through the airport grew by 58% that is from approximately $1.956 billion dollars to $3.367Bn respectively. Similarly, exports grew by 38.9% from $2.322Bn to $3.227Bn. With the ACCU initiative, these volumes are expected to double.
For ease of detection and arrest of illicit goods perpetrators, Muyama noted that URA will work with other agencies like the Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA), Aviation Police and representatives from Aviation Security.
She also added that URA will have more interceptions of culprits unlike in the past where only 177 suspects have been arrested trafficking drugs. These drugs were valued at about UGX 11 billion through the airport leading to persecution of other1668 cases by Uganda Police.
“In the period of September 2021 and April 2022, there were interceptions of 40 passengers through three different airports which is not good for us. We believe with the launch of the office, we are going to have the operations heightened to counter illicit trafficking of drugs,” Muyama said of the newly launched office.
Despite the funding, facilities and technical support provided by the EU, the UNODC and the WCO to launch this office, there is need in capacity building.
“We appreciate the training that has already been extended to the team at the ACCU office but we request for more training together with other border agencies so that we can work together to deal with crime,” Muyama said.
On drug trafficking, URA also requested for additional operational equipment like the hand held scanners, testing equipment and protective gear to reduce the crime.
Fiona Nyamurungi, URA’s Ag. Assistant Commissioner Enforcement also added that the ACCU office will help in ensuring protection of society against the consumption of harmful products, protection of brands through Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)and endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES).
The Air Cargo Control Unit initiative is the first of its kind in the region aimed at strengthening the cooperation between government agencies and the business community towards facilitation of legitimate trade.
