By Dismas Nuwaine
In a daring operation that unfolded on December 12th, security forces successfully intercepted a large haul of smuggled cigarettes, uncovering over 1,100 packets of Supermatch cigarettes, totaling 22 cartons, at a private residence in Aywee village, Western division, Gulu City.
The raid was prompted after a reliable informant “tipped off” authorities about the illegal offloading of goods at a house belonging to a man identified as Okene, a staff member at a Kitgum branch of a faith-based bank.
“It was the community that gave us the tip we needed to know about the home where the material was hidden,” said a customs official involved in the operation.
“Unfortunately, the security officers at Aywee police post weren’t interested in assisting us, and to make matters worse, we later found out that the area’s Local Council One leader was involved with the smugglers.”
According to intelligence gathering, it became very clear that the goods in question belonged to Okene’s sister, who was using the brother’s home as a temporary shelter for the smuggled cigarettes, marked “Made in Uganda for Export.”
The trade in contraband goods heavily impacts the economy because the government loses out on significant tax revenue which affects public service delivery and economic development.
From the onset of the operation, the team in Gulu faced substantial stumbling blocks; For one, on the fateful day, the team was hosting the Operation Wealth Creation Chief, Gen. Salim Saleh at the Uganda Development Forum, which in itself was a suitable distraction needed by the smuggler.
Also, the Customs Security detail had been disarmed pending the visit of Gen. Saleh and this added salt to the injury. Despite the withdrawal of firearms, the officers remained resolute, relying on their tactical expertise and intelligence gathering.
On arrival, they found the house cordoned off with multiple padlocks, with local leadership and police offering no assistance. It was later revealed that the area LC 1 chairman had colluded with the smugglers, further hindering their efforts.
As the hours ticked by, the team managed to gather information that led them to Kitgum, where Okene worked.
After lengthy discussions, Okene, under mounting pressure, admitted to his complicity in the crime and contacted the LC 1 chairman, requesting help to facilitate access to the house.
A local welder was hired to remove a window from the house, allowing the team to seize the illegal goods.
Offence management is underway.
