Two police officers arrested for smuggling illegal ‘beauty cream’ into Uganda

Police at Bwera Police Station in Kasese District have detained two police constables over smuggling items from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rwenzori East Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Vincent Twesige identified the suspects as Zephanus Masereka and Samuel Abigaba attached to Bwera Police Station in the western district of Uganda.

Mr Twesige said the two were arrested in a joint operation between police and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officials after they received a tip that they were using police ambulance UP 4908 to carry CaroLight and Coco-pulp cosmetics which had been smuggled from the Democratic Republic of Congo into Uganda through the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha border.

The two Democratic Republic of Congo manufactured products were banned on the Ugandan market alongside several other cosmetics which according to Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) contain hydroquinone and mercury, substances that are said to cause skin cancer.

Mr Twesige said the detained officers were found in possession of eighteen boxes of the banned cosmetics in the vehicle attached to Rwenzori West Regional Police Headquarters- Fort Portal.

“These will be charged under URA Act for smuggling banned goods into Uganda. The two officers are also liable to criminal charges like misuse of government property in this case a vehicle,” Mr Twesige said.
He added that they face more charges once they get guidance from URA.