At about 11:00am last Friday, she received constant updates that the van containing her merchandise had been loaded. Like any business person, she was already counting how much profits would arise. Unfortunately, these were cut short by the vigilant taxman. Zainabu Nankya, lost the “fight.”
The URA enforcement team one impounded a van of registration number (UAQ 023L) that had been loaded with her goods. It was coming from the East and was impounded in Kasangati.
Following a tip off from intelligence networks, a team was deployed to monitor the movements of the van. The van owners too had intelligence to guide their movements unfortunately they did not succeed. They parked when they realized the URA double-cabin was moving towards their direction.
“We abandoned the pick up and went undercover through covert means in which we continued monitoring their movements. After about 4 hours, they realized a suspicious vehicle harassing them from a close range of their bumper and within minutes we flagged them down,” Emmanuel Emasu, a customs enforment officer narrated.
The van has since been parked at Nakawa and a total of 248 rolls of smuggled textile fabric have been seized.
According to Emasu, the offence procedures are underway and Nankya will be expected to pay approximately UGX 8.1 million in taxes and UGX 5.3 million in penalties.
Despite continuous smuggling of contraband items, URA has intensified intelligence guided operations leveraging the use of Non-Intrusive Inspection technology at the border points and field intelligence enforcement operations. URA is also intensifying tax education awareness, especially on the dangers of smuggling to the individual, the community and the economy.
The Public should therefore desist from importing such contraband products as stipulated in the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA).
Additional Reporting by Immaculate Wanyenze
