By Silvia Nyambura
Tax body Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is set to recover over Ushs 1 billion in penalties from non-compliant foreign vehicles. This follows the impounding of 79 foreign registered cars during the URA’s ‘Operation Clean-Up Uganda’ initiative conducted from 16th to 21st December 2014. The initiative aimed at identifying and accounting for vehicles that came into the country under the temporary importation arrangement and enforce compliance with customs procedures.
According to police records, foreign vehicles are often stolen and have often been used to perpetrate crimes in the country.
Speaking today at a press conference held at the company’s headquarters in Kampala, James Kisaale the Assistant Commissioner Law Enforcement at URA said the impounded vehicles are worth Ushs 1,787,103,892.
“Out of the 79 impounded, 46 were high performance vehicles and mainly station wagons. 8 were Toyota Land Cruisers, 8 were Mercedes Benzs, 4 were Range Rovers, 3 were BMWs and 6 were Toyota RAV 4s. 32 Motor vehicles were verified and found to be compliant meaning they were legally registered in DRC and they legally entered into Uganda. However, 47 vehicles worth Ushs 1,071,468,389 in taxes presented false documents. Two of the vehicles worth Ushs 103,646,417 in taxes were reported stolen according to the Interpol data base,