Some of the phones were located in a Subaru.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intercepted more than 30,000 smuggled mobile phones in a single day, in a series of intelligence-led enforcement operations aimed at curbing illicit trade and tax evasion.
In a major operation conducted by Team One Enforcement, URA officers seized 576 cartons of button and smart mobile phones totaling 28,627 pieces in Kyanja, a fast-growing suburb in Nakawa Division, Kampala. The consignment is believed to have been smuggled into the country through porous border points before being distributed to Kampala’s busy phone markets.
URA says investigations are ongoing to establish the ownership of the seized phones and dismantle the smuggling network behind the illegal operation. Suspects are expected to face charges related to tax evasion, possession of uncustomed goods, and involvement in illegal trade.
The Kyanja interception forms part of a wider nationwide crackdown on high-value smuggled electronics, especially as enforcement teams heighten operations ahead of the festive season.
In a related operation in Mayuge District, URA enforcement officers intercepted a Subaru vehicle transporting 1,000 undeclared Samsung smartphones. The operation, conducted on Tuesday, was guided by intelligence and marked another breakthrough in efforts to combat the illegal electronics trade.
URA also foiled a separate rice-smuggling attempt involving the concealment of funtula consignments in cement trucks. Acting on credible intelligence, surveillance teams monitored a store in Muwayo and moved in as the rice was loaded onto a cement truck.
The truck was intercepted in Idudi and escorted to the URA Iganga Station for a thorough inspection. Officers recovered 99 bags of Baraf rice, each weighing 25 kilograms, hidden inside the vehicle.
All seized goods, along with the vehicles used in the illegal operations, are currently in URA custody as legal proceedings against the suspects commence.
Commenting on the operations, Moses Wanjala, the Acting Manager of Enforcement in the Eastern Region, warned smugglers against engaging in illicit trade.
“The long arm of the law will continue to clamp down on economic saboteurs as enforcement intensifies across the region,” Wanjala said.
URA has reiterated its commitment to protecting legitimate businesses, safeguarding government revenue, and disrupting smuggling networks across the country.
Meanwhile,
Customs enforcement officers at Entebbe International Airport on Friday, December 19, 2025 disrupted a series of sophisticated mobile phone smuggling attempts, seizing 422 undeclared high-value smartphones worth USD 50,640 (approximately UGX 235.5 million) over a three-week period.
The interceptions followed intensified surveillance and intelligence-led passenger profiling by the Entebbe enforcement team. Officers identified suspicious behavioural patterns, including abnormal body movements, bulky or distorted clothing, and repeated detours to airport washrooms before customs clearance. In one incident, a female passenger was intercepted after officers noticed an unusual bulge around her waist and abdomen.
A subsequent search uncovered dozens of smartphones tightly strapped beneath her clothing. Another case featured a male traveller who exhibited unusually heavy steps and a rigid walking posture. Upon inspection, officers discovered multiple phones bound to his legs in a manner that mimicked symptoms of severe medical conditions. Speaking on the seizures, Moses Kyomuhendo, the Manager of Enforcement and Border Control in the central region, said the ongoing anti-smuggling campaign is aimed at deterring the growing trend of smuggling high-value electronics into the country. He revealed that most of the seized devices originate from the United Arab Emirates and China, with high-end brands such as Samsung and iPhones dominating the consignments. Some of the suspects have since been prosecuted, while others paid penalties and outstanding taxes.
Kyomuhendo urged traders and consumers to remain vigilant and to purchase mobile phones from licensed dealers who pay taxes and issue EFRIS receipts, warning that involvement in smuggling could result in significant financial losses. He further called on the public to report any suspicious smuggling activity, emphasizing the need for collective responsibility in protecting the local market and national revenue.
Article updated on December 20, 2025.
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