By Irene Kabakama
The URA Enforcement teams in Gulu, Arua and Corner Kamdini have encountered unrelenting cigarette smugglers in the region in attempts to infiltrate the market with 5,945 bombas of illegal Super Match cigarettes.
At Gulu Logistics Hub, the team successfully impounded two vehicles with 4,500 bombas of smuggled Super Match cigarettes made in South Sudan found in Rom village, in Koro Lapainat.
The Friday 15th April operation was largely informed by intelligence that reported a store that had Super Match cigarettes overflowing to the doorway. The team then hatched a plan and rounded off the store before the cigarettes could be moved.
The informant had indicated that two vehicles were being loaded and that the cigarette owners were waiting for nightfall to move their loot at about 8:00 PM.
As the cruiser’s lights illuminated the target home in Rom, the culprits loading the vehicles scattered. The team successfully impounded two vehicles: a Toyota Noah with registration number UBR379V and a Toyota Ipsum with registration number UAP381K.
Since the owners and loaders had fled and abandoned the cargo, the URA team loaded the remaining cigarettes from the house into both vehicles amid heavy rain and a fierce storm ad successfully delivered the goods to the station.
Similarly, the URA enforcement team in Arua retrieved 100 cartons of Super Match from a consolidation centre in Manibe which triggered a violent outburst from the community.
The enforcement team received a tip-off and closely monitored a one smuggler who uses motorcycles to ferry cigarettes to his store with plans of relocating the goods to Kampala.
After thorough analysis of the information, the URA team, conducted a recce and operation on 12th April jointly with the police attached to Arua police station and UPDF to retrieve 100 bombas of Super Match cigarettes.
However, while loading the goods onto the police pickups, the crowds started lighting fire on the road and throwing stones at the vehicles but the team persisted and navigated through the violent crowed prompting the security operatives to fire shots in the air and tear-gas to disperse the agitated locals.
Another smuggler was nabbed in Corner Kamdini on Thursday 10th April 2025 in a black Toyota Ipsum UAT 452J fully loaded with Cigarettes of Super match brand. Upon Verification, 1345 bombas were recovered. The motor vehicle is currently in our custody as the search for the owner ensues.
