Passenger abandons Shs220m iPhones at Entebbe airport

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Customs officials at Entebbe International Airport have said they retrieved over 90 new and used iPhones that were abandoned on the conveyor belt on Sunday by an unknown traveler.

The Acting manager Entebbe Customs, Simon Esunget said the yet to be identified passenger arrived at Entebbe International Airport aboard Egypt Air with personal baggage, including two audio subwoofers. The baggage was then directed to the baggage X-ray scanner for Non-Intrusive Inspection.

During the inspection, the concealed smartphones and the subwoofers were discovered.
The phones were worth $60,000 (about Shs222 million), according to the tax body.

“Concealing of high-value items at various customs border posts is still common. However, X-ray scanners are playing a huge role in exposing schemes of notorious smugglers,” Mr Esunget said.
According to the URA spokesperson, Mr Ibrahim Bbossa, the tax body has strengthened controls on passenger arrivals to facilitate legitimate travelers and deter any incidences of attempted concealment of uncustomed goods.

“URA has deployed non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology which has proved to be very effective in unearthing tricks used by travelers to smuggle in goods carried as personal baggage, an allowance given by the airlines,” Mr Bbbossa said.
The tax body uses X-ray scanners at the different border points to safeguard revenue and enhance supply chain safety and security by effectively inspecting cargo without tampering with it, according to Bbossa.