URA recovers UGX2bn from smuggled goods in one year

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has recovered UGX2.1 billion from 1,445 seizures of smuggled goods between May 2020 and April 2021. A URA report for the period ended April indicates that clothes, cosmetics, cooking oil, rice and wheat flour are the most smuggled goods. Others are cosmetics, cooking oil, sandals, shoes and salt. The tax authority notes that the frequently smuggled goods have high demand, portability and marketability across the East African region. Ian Rumanyika, the URA acting Corporate Affairs commissioner says: “Smuggled goods are fast moving items with ready market which makes it easy for smugglers to transact.” The…