On the 30th Sept. 2023 at 2:00 a.m one of the URA officers in Iganga received a call of a routine smuggler who was bringing in assorted phones via Lake Victoria to enter Uganda.
As usual, the URA officers were deployed heavily both on land and water. Other stakeholders from the Fisheries Protection Unit were also contacted to beef up on the security on Lake Victoria.
At around 3:00 a.m, the boat of the smuggler was sighted landing at Buvuma and it was later diverted to land at Masese in Jinja District.
Unfortunately, the diversions from the smugglers could not work. The boat was impounded by Fisheries protection unit based at Buvuma Island at Lubya and escorted to Masese Landing site.
The wooden boat registration number UV 004467 with boat motor 40 horsepower loaded with assorted phones was successfully delivered to Masese Landing site under the escort of UPDF soldiers attached to the Fisheries Protection Unit.
“We impounded the goods and the boat engine as a means of conveyance since it was difficult to move a wooded boat from Jinja to Iganga,” Winfred Kusiima a customs officer in Iganga narrated.
Upon verification, the following were found;
50 cartons of Techno phone
65 cartons of Itel phones
15 cartons of Villaon phones
4 cartons of Signo phones
10 cartons of Itel phones
5 cartons of 2 burner cooker
6 bags of Rai cement
