Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has destroyed 180 tons of smuggled goods

The items that were destroyed at Luwero Industries include cosmetics, used underwear garments, beer, wines, and spirits, computers, and drugs, among others.

“These items were confiscated and collected over some time, more than just one year of enforcement operations. If we were to value them, they are worth over a billion shillings in taxes,” says Milton Rahuka, the manager for warehousing in the customs department at URA.

According to Rahuka, the items were mostly impounded from along the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Ian Mukisa, the supervisor for waste management at Luwero Industries, says that the consignment will be crushed and directly landfilled. He adds that the use of this method was determined by the sensitivity and bulkiness of the consignment.

Jane Okello, the general manager of Rugarwana Industries, a company that was contracted to transport the contraband to Nakasongola said that more contraband still awaits transportation, including cigarettes, electronics, and soap.

Several boxes containing copies of the Holy Quran were also discovered among the contraband items, but they were not destroyed.