The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has thwarted a smuggling operation at Entebbe International Airport, impounding mobile phones worth UGX 200 million.
This latest bust has exposed the lengths to which smugglers will go to evade taxes, as URA enforcement officers intensify surveillance and intelligence operations at the country’s main gateway.
In a dramatic scene, smugglers tried everything from hiding phones deep within luggage to strapping them onto their bodies. Some even conspired with airport trolley pushers and cleaners to slip the contraband past customs unnoticed. The weird attempts included mingling the phones with personal belongings disguised as ordinary baggage.
However, URA officers, armed with cutting-edge technology and rigorous profiling techniques, were one step ahead. The smugglers’ tactics, however creative, failed to outsmart the sophisticated detection measures deployed at the airport.
In a statement released by the URA, a total of 781 smartphones and 108 button phones were confiscated during these operations. The phones, estimated to be worth USD 55,000 included an assortment of popular brands:
287 Samsung Galaxy phones (new and used),258 assorted smartphones (Redmi, Oppo, Sony Xperia, Sharp Aquos),95 refurbished and used iPhones,112 Infinix phones,15 Huawei smartphones,10 used Google Pixel 7 phones,5 new Tecno Spark 20 Pro phones,108 button phones
Mobile phones remain the most smuggled item at Entebbe International Airport. URA attributes the surge in phone smuggling to traders attempting to avoid paying import taxes, which include a 10% import duty, 18% VAT, 6% withholding tax, and a 1.5% infrastructure levy.
“Many traders either underestimate the tax obligations or choose to ignore them in a bid to maximize profits,” the statement reads.
URA says it has ramped up surveillance and enforcement at Entebbe Airport. Among the key measures include: enhanced passenger profiling using intelligence networks, use of non-intrusive inspection scanners, monitoring through an extensive CCTV network and collaboration with airport security teams.
These efforts according to the URA are yielding results, recording increased interceptions at the airport. The enforcement teams are also keeping a close eye on areas with limited customs presence, such as the VIP section, Departures, and the Old Airport terminal.
The URA warned travelers of hefty penalties for customs violations. Concealing goods to evade taxes violates Section 202 of the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA), attracting a fine of 50% of the item’s value. Failing to declare items to customs officers also contravenes Sections 45 and 46, with additional penalties enforced under Section 209.
