URA Cracks Open Hidden Cigarette Smuggling Network as 300+ Cartons Found in Modified Fuso Trucks

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has exposed an elaborate cigarette smuggling operation after intercepting two specially modified Fuso trucks carrying more than 300 cartons of cigarettes concealed in secret compartments. The discoveries were made during separate enforcement operations in Arua and Pakwach, exposing the lengths to which suspected smugglers allegedly went to evade detection.

The two trucks, registration numbers UAX 194X and UAM B109, were seized and later transported to URA Headquarters in Nakawa, Kampala, where officers carried out further examinations. In both cases, investigators found unusual structural modifications that had been designed to create hidden spaces for transporting the cigarettes without attracting the attention of enforcement officers.

In Arua, officers intercepted UAX 194X and discovered cigarette cartons hidden beneath layers of welded metal at the bottom of the truck. The modified section had reportedly been covered with wooden lemon carriers, creating the appearance of a normal truck carrier and allegedly helping the smugglers conceal the unusual construction during inspections.
Initial investigations indicate that the cigarettes found in the Arua-bound truck had been loaded in Ariwara, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, before the vehicle headed towards Uganda. The discovery has raised fresh concerns over the methods being used to move contraband through border areas and evade Uganda’s revenue enforcement systems.
The second truck, UAM B109, was intercepted in Pakwach after allegedly entering Uganda from South Sudan through Panyamur in Arua before travelling through the West Nile region. URA officers discovered another concealed space, this time a fabricated compartment welded onto the front structure of the truck and reportedly packed with additional cartons of cigarettes.

Accessing the hidden compartments was not straightforward. URA officers had to use a grinder to cut through the welded metal before reaching the concealed cigarettes, giving investigators a clear indication of how extensively the trucks had been altered for the alleged smuggling operation.

Addressing journalists at URA Headquarters in Nakawa, Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs Robert Kalumba said the interceptions formed part of intensified efforts to combat smuggling, particularly along porous border routes. He explained that the cigarettes were manufactured in Uganda for export to the Central African Republic but were allegedly being diverted and smuggled back into Uganda through South Sudan.

Two suspected drivers, Atiko Michael and Mutebi Bogere, were also presented to journalists after being arrested and transferred to Kampala to face court proceedings. URA Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi has urged the public to reject smuggling and support efforts to protect government revenue, warning that enforcement operations will continue across the country and encouraging citizens to report suspected smuggling through URA’s whistleblowing channels.