URA enforcement officers in Lwakhakha, Manafwa District carried out a successful intelligence-led operation on 7th March 2026, disrupting the smuggling of goods worth millions of shillings.
The operation followed late-night intelligence regarding suspicious activities, prompting the team to rush to the porous route in Pajwenda-Budama. A Toyota Noah Registration UA 773CL, which was carrying one tonne of smuggled Basmati rice was intercepted.
As Officers were transporting the intercepted rice to the URA station, they received another tip about eight heavily-loaded motorcycles headed their way.
“We quickly laid another ambush and intercepted three of the motorcycles, alongside 36 bales of used clothes and four bales of Kitenge fabrics, each containing 12 bundles,” narrated Daniel Mbangire, an Enforcement Officer in the Eastern Region.
Mbangire added that upon realising that they had entered an ambush, five of the eight smugglers cut off their luggage with pangas and escaped on their motorcycles.
These operations followed similar incidents where officers had intercepted a Toyota Wish Registration number UBK 077U loaded with smuggled kitchenware, 109 rolls of assorted fabric and, 31 cartons of wheat flour from two homesteads in Bumboo village, Lwakhakha.
Speaking about the incidents, the Assistant Commissioner, Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, reaffirmed URA’s commitment to fighting illegal trade.
“As URA, we are fighting tooth and nail to eradicate smuggling,” Kalumba stated. “We have deployed enforcement teams around the borders, even on our waters. This is a call to smugglers to desist from the practice because wherever you are, we are coming for you.”
By Our Reporter
