By Kabahweza Kamugisha Allan
Plum Poultry Limited has been fined UGX 11,211,330 for attempting to smuggle a wheel loader in a shipment containing unassembled chicken cages.
Clementine Kaduyu, a customs officer narrated that on July 10, 2023, the aforementioned proprietor imported chicken cages into Uganda but neglected to declare a wheel loader.
Kaduyu explained that the concealment was revealed when the Non-Intrusive Inspection(NII) scanner deployed at Malaba One Stop Border Post sent an alert for concealed goods on a container loaded on truck number KCN 827T.
“After finding goods that weren’t on the manifest, the NII Central Command and Monitoring Centre at Nakawa sent us an alert to physically verify the truck. When we checked, we discovered a brand-new 2023 LIUGONG 820H wheel loader, complete with an unmounted cabin, hidden within the shipment,” she explained.
In accordance with Sections 200 and 203 of the EACMMA, an importer found to be in the act of concealing goods faces up to five years in prison or a fine equal to half of the dutiable worth of the items in question. This is the rationale for Plum Poultry Ltd.’s fine.
According to Kaduyu, the wheel loader’s entry has been sent to the Document Processing Center for additional processing of the taxes that need to be paid and is currently being held at Maina Freight ICD LTD.
The successful identification of the hidden wheel loader is a prime example of how NII technology can improve revenue collection and border post security.
NII is still essential in locating hidden objects and stopping illegal activity because of its sophisticated imaging and analytic capabilities. As long as it is implemented as planned, border controls will be strengthened and smuggling and other illicit activities will be prevented.
