URA seizes 270 cartons of smuggled Chinese batteries

URA law enforcement officer Moses Oguttu displays some of the batteries impounded in Kikuubo on Monday.
photo BY STEPHEN WANDERA

KAMPALA.

Uganda Revenue Authority law enforcement officers on Monday raided shops in Kikuubo and seized goods smuggled into the county.
According to URA law enforcement officer Moses Oguttu, one wholesale shop owned by Ms Joan Kyomuhendo had the 273 cartons, each containing 100 dozens of China batteries.

“We got intelligence reports that china batteries had been smuggled into the country through Mutukula boarder post with Tanzania. A follow up was done until this morning (Monday) when it was offloaded. We have got 273 cartons concealed in plain boxes but we believe many more are still hidden that is why the owner took off when we arrived,” Mr Oguttu said.
Speaking to Kikuubo traders during the operation, Mr Oguttu said the batteries worth Shs70 million will be destroyed because they are prohibited on the local market.

The Tiger Head batteries labelled ‘guangzhou china batteries’ are restricted in Uganda, Mr Oguttu noted adding that there are only authorised two agents; KMS and White Showman that import tiger head batteries marked ‘Made in Guanzhou’. When asked for more detail, Mr Oguttu declined and referred this reporter to his supervisors at URA.
Early this month, a truck carrying 398 bags of undeclared rice concealed under packs of salt recently ran out of luck when Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement team intercepted as it was being offloaded in Mukono Central Market.

The consignment, coming from Kisumu, Kenya belonging to Okapi Trading Company, Ntinda Industrial area, was smuggled into the country through Malaba border post.