By KT Reporter
More than 100 cartons of contraband Super match cigarettes, estimated at over 150 million Shillings, have been impounded in Arua City.
The operation was conducted by a joint security team of Uganda Revenue Authority, UPDF and Police Force on Wednesday. The boxes of cigarettes labelled Made in Uganda for Export and Made in South Sudan are suspected to belong to a businessman in Arua City.
They were discovered hidden in a store in Yapi cell, Ayivu Division, Arua City. However, the owner fled the scene before the operation.
Simon Tumwesigye, the URA Manager for Enforcement and Border Control in Northern Region Based said that upon reaching the centre of Arua City with the impounded cigarettes, a section of traders became rowdy and some of them started pelting the security officers, who were forced to fire bullets in the air.
According to Tumwesigye, the level of smuggling in West Nile has gone up, but he appealed to the public to desist from the practice.
Collins Asea, the Police Spokesperson for West Nile, asked the business community to comply with the tax policies in the country to avoid landing in trouble with URA.
According to URA, differences in the tax structure among countries in the East African Community are a major factor fueling illicit trade, where countries like South Sudan and the DRC have lower prices of goods than Uganda.
URA has also identified Fuel, Cooking Oil, Rice and Soap as some of the commonly smuggled goods in the West Nile region, but pledges to ensure continued engagement and sensitisation of the border communities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
