By Mulengera Reporters
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers have intercepted 180 bags of suspected smuggled Pakistan rice concealed beneath dried cassava in a late-night operation in Kamuli District.
The interception followed intelligence received by the URA Iganga enforcement team on the evening of August 19, 2026, indicating that a vehicle was transporting a consignment of Pakistan rice that had allegedly been deliberately hidden under a layer of dried cassava.
According to URA, the rice had reportedly been stored at a consolidation facility in Namutumba and was destined for Kampala. The consignment was initially expected to travel along the Tirinyi Road through Iganga.
However, the suspects allegedly became aware that they were being monitored after closely tracking the movements of the enforcement team’s pickup vehicle. Believing they had identified the surveillance operation, they reportedly changed their route in an attempt to evade interception.
Instead of continuing through Iganga, the vehicle diverted onto rural roads towards Kaliro and Kamuli. The change of route, however, did not prevent the enforcement team from tracking the consignment.
URA said its Iganga team had already deployed counter-intelligence measures and anticipated the alternative route. Officers covertly moved ahead of the vehicle and established an interception point along the suspected route in Kamuli District.
At approximately 3:00 a.m. on August 20, officers intercepted an Isuzu short-chassis truck, registration number UBG 574G, bringing the vehicle under control for inspection.
A subsequent verification uncovered approximately 4.5 tonnes of Pakistan rice packed in 180 bags. The rice had been concealed beneath dried cassava, apparently in an attempt to make the consignment appear to be a legitimate agricultural cargo and evade detection.
The operation highlights the methods allegedly employed by smugglers to conceal taxable goods during transportation. In this case, the rice was hidden beneath an ordinary agricultural product, but the concealment did not prevent enforcement officers from identifying and intercepting the consignment.
URA said concealment remains one of the techniques used in attempts to evade customs controls. Without intelligence-led enforcement and targeted inspections, such consignments could potentially move through established routes without detection.
The authority also reiterated that imported rice originating from outside the East African Community (EAC) is subject to customs duties, standards requirements, inspection and other applicable import procedures.
Goods transported without the required customs clearance, or deliberately concealed for purposes of evading taxes and customs controls, may constitute a smuggling offence under applicable laws.
The interception therefore underscores the role of intelligence gathering and coordinated enforcement in combating illicit trade and protecting government revenue.
The case also illustrates the challenges faced by enforcement agencies in monitoring the movement of goods across Uganda’s extensive road network, particularly when suspects attempt to abandon established routes and use rural roads to avoid detection.
For URA, the successful interception demonstrates the importance of intelligence-led operations rather than relying solely on conventional checkpoints. The team’s ability to anticipate the suspects’ alternative route ultimately led to the recovery of the concealed consignment.
The authority continues to warn traders and transporters against attempting to evade customs duties and other import requirements through concealment or the use of unauthorized routes.
The 180 bags of rice remain subject to the relevant verification and legal processes, while the interception adds to URA’s ongoing efforts to combat smuggling, enforce customs regulations and safeguard government revenue.
The operation also sends a clear message to smugglers that attempts to disguise taxable goods under seemingly ordinary cargo may not be enough to escape detection when enforcement operations are supported by credible intelligence and strategic counter-surveillance measures. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
