Interpol Uganda has uncovered a dangerous car smuggling network that is sneaking expensive stolen vehicles into the country, raising fears about national security and the economy.
The stolen cars, mostly luxury models like Range Rovers, BMWs, and Toyota Prados, are believed to be taken from Europe (especially the UK) and brought into Uganda using fake documents. The smugglers reportedly pass through South Africa and Tanzania before arriving in Uganda, often hiding the cars in bonded warehouses and altering their chassis numbers to escape detection.
According to New Vision reporting, Interpol officials in Kampala say some of these vehicles are now being used by high-profile individuals in the country, including socialites, government officials, and even people with military guards. In some cases, the cars are driven with foreign number plates and are never checked by traffic officers.
This criminal activity is not only damaging the country’s international image but also affecting local systems meant to control imports and fight corruption. The international police believes that some workers in bonded warehouses are helping hide the origin of the vehicles and forge paperwork.
But this problem goes beyond car theft. Interpol says the same smuggling networks are often linked to drug trafficking, terrorism financing, and money laundering, posing a serious threat to the country’s safety and economy.
So far, Interpol Uganda, working with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), has seized over eight stolen luxury vehicles from bonded warehouses in Nakawa since early this year. In a past crackdown in 2014, Interpol recovered and sent back 65 cars to the UK.
In one recent case, a container from London was found in Mukono with two stolen 2020 Toyota RAV4s, whose documents had been forged, but Interpol’s global tracking system (i24/7) flagged them as stolen.
To fight this, Interpol is encouraging all car buyers to do a proper check before buying imported cars. Their vehicle verification service costs UGX 60,000, and last year they issued 495 verification certificates, earning UGX 29.7 million. Reportedly, many Ugandans have already been helped to avoid buying stolen cars.
Interpol Uganda is also using a global tool called the Silver Notice, which helps track and freeze wealth acquired through criminal means, currently being used in a major investigation involving over UGX 60 billion allegedly stolen by top officials in connection with the Bank of Uganda.
Across Africa, Interpol-led operations have arrested over 2,400 suspects and recovered property worth over €126 million (around UGX 499 billion) in the last year alone.
Interpol says they will continue targeting warehouses and illegal car markets, warning that unless Uganda tightens controls at the borders, customs, and car bonds, it could become a hub for international crime. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
