By Irene Kabakama
In a bid to overcome the recent economic hardships, some unscrupulous individuals have continued to devise means of evading taxes. Nevertheless, URA officers have been alert in their surveillance means to fight such vices to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of tax to rid Uganda of economic dependence.
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.
As the smugglers are advancing their tactics in evasion of taxes, the taxman has also measured up in pace and is equipped to curb the vice of smuggling goods that leads to tax avoidance and evasion.
URA urges the general public to desist from smuggling acts as they hinder the transformation and development of our economy.
