By Mulengera Reporters
A daring night smuggling mission has been dramatically stopped in its tracks after the fierce enforcement arm of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) swooped in and foiled an attempt to flood the Ugandan market with illegal Kitenge fabrics.
On the night of February 9th, 2026, the URA Customs Enforcement Team in the Central Region acted on hot intelligence gathered by Team One Enforcement. Their target? A suspicious mini-convoy made up of a Toyota Land cruiser Prado (Reg. No. UA 313BH) and a Toyota Harrier (Reg. No. UA 846DD), secretly transporting uncustomed goods into the city Centre.
But the smugglers had no idea that URA officers were already on their trail.
“These fabric smugglers were very creative. They disguised their cargo and kept changing routes, but we never lost sight of them,” declared Alex Murungi, the determined leader of DT Enforcement Team One.
The drama reached its peak when the two vehicles slipped into the Cooper Complex parking lot, hoping to disappear into the night. But luck had run out.
In a swift and calculated move, URA’s Team One stormed in, impounded both vehicles, and apprehended the occupants. The suspects, along with their cars, were escorted straight to the URA headquarters in Nakawa for further case management.
A detailed inspection revealed the shocking scale of the attempted smuggle. The Prado was packed with 1,976.4 square meters of uncustomed cotton printed Kitenge, while the Harrier carried an even bigger load — 4,611.6 square meters.
Altogether, the seized fabrics are valued at approximately UGX 50 million in taxes and fines.
URA has once again sent out a loud and clear warning: tax evaders and smugglers will be hunted down and stopped. The Enforcement Team has been hailed for its vigilance, sharp intelligence, and relentless pursuit in protecting Uganda’s economy from illegal trade. For smugglers, the message is simple — URA is watching, and there is nowhere to hide. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
