URA Seizes Truck Loaded With 5,820 Boxes of Unstamped Express Vodka
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intercepted a truck carrying thousands of bottles of Express Vodka without the required Digital Tax Stamps, in an enforcement operation targeting non-compliance in the excisable goods sector.The operation was conducted by the URA Central Region Enforcement Team, which stopped the truck belonging to Elebu Logistics Ltd, a company involved in the manufacture of Express Waragi and Vodka.
The consignment was reportedly being transported to Arua.Upon inspection, URA enforcement officers discovered 5,820 boxes of Express Vodka inside the truck. Each box contained 24 bottles, with every bottle carrying 200ml of the alcoholic product.The entire consignment was reportedly found without Digital Tax Stamps (DTS), a requirement used by the tax authority to monitor and authenticate specified excisable products circulating on the Ugandan market.Digital Tax Stamps contain security features and unique codes that assist authorities in tracking products and detecting possible counterfeiting or tax-related violations. Their absence on the intercepted products raised compliance concerns under the applicable excise tax requirements.URA said the interception forms part of its continuing enforcement operations aimed at ensuring that manufacturers and distributors of excisable goods comply with tax laws.
The authority also noted that enforcement helps protect businesses that meet their tax obligations from unfair competition.Stanley Kabyemera, Manager of Digital Tax Stamp Enforcement in the Central Region, said URA would continue taking action against businesses that fail to comply with the requirements governing excisable goods, as the authority works to safeguard government revenue.The interception underscores URA’s continued focus on strengthening tax compliance and monitoring the movement of excisable products across the country, with businesses expected to ensure that their goods meet all statutory requirements before reaching the market.
