Some of the phones impounded during the operation. In total, 12, 500 phones were confiscated. These are valued at about Shs 4.8 billion.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has confiscated 12,500 phones from arcades in Kampala.
The phones were retrieved in a team one operation at a warehouse in Old Kampala, from where over 3,800 pieces of different phone brands, namely iPhones and Samsung, were impounded. One person was arrested to help in further investigations.
The operation also led the URA team to a number of arcades in Kampala. These are Pioneer Mall, Grand Corner Arcade, Kalungi Plaza, Prism Building, Mabirizi Arcade, Master Plaza, Mutasa Kafero, Acacia Mall, Garden City, Forest Mall, Ham Towers, and Damanico Building, where we recovered 12,500 pieces of assorted high-end mobile phones. The total taxes for these mobile phones amount to Shs 4,853,648,169 billion.
Robert Kalumba, the Assistant Commissioner, Public and Corporate Affairs, says that the operation followed a tip-off.
“The story of how Team One Enforcement nabbed the elusive phone smuggler is one that highlights the challenges of enforcing border security, the complexity of international trade routes, and the impact of smuggling on the local economy,” said Kalumba.
He, however, said that while mobile phones are a vital part of daily life for many Ugandans, they are also a highly sought-after commodity in the illicit trade.
Over the past decade, Uganda has witnessed a dramatic rise in mobile phone penetration. As of 2023, there are an estimated 30 million mobile phone subscribers in Uganda, a country with a population of roughly 47 million. Smartphones have become essential tools for communication, business, education, and entertainment.
Kalumba says that the demand for affordable devices has created an opportunity for smugglers to exploit gaps in the market.
“Phone smuggling typically involves the importation of smartphones and accessories through unofficial or illegal routes, bypassing customs duties and taxes that legitimate businesses are required to pay. The phones, often sourced from countries like China, Dubai, and even neighboring countries like Kenya, are brought into Uganda without proper documentation. Once they cross the border, they are sold at a lower price than those available through legal channels, making them attractive to consumers,” adds Kalumba.
Kalumba said that the operation will continue.
“For now, the battle against phone smuggling in Kampala remains ongoing,” warned Kalumba.
He added that paying tax becomes a burden when only a few are paying. To this, he appealed to taxpayers to pay their share of tax so as to lessen the burden levied on the few when a section chooses the smuggling route.
