URA Destroys Shs5.4 Billion Worth of Smuggled Goods in Major Anti-Smuggling Operation
The Uganda Revenue Authority has destroyed contraband goods worth billions of shillings as part of intensified efforts to combat smuggling and strengthen tax compliance across the country.
According to a statement issued by URA on Tuesday, May 20, 2026, the destruction exercise was conducted at Luweero Industries Ltd, an approved government destruction facility where confiscated illegal products were disposed of under tight security supervision.
At the center of the operation were 37.5 tonnes of illicit cigarettes valued at approximately Shs5.4 billion. The cigarettes were among a wider range of goods recently seized by URA enforcement teams during anti-smuggling and tax enforcement operations carried out in different parts of Uganda.
The latest crackdown marks one of the largest anti-contraband destruction exercises conducted in recent months, highlighting URA’s renewed efforts to dismantle smuggling networks and curb revenue losses caused by tax evasion.
URA officials said many of the destroyed goods had been smuggled into the country through illegal entry points without payment of taxes and duties. Others reportedly failed to meet required health, safety, and regulatory standards, making them unsafe for public consumption.
The tax body noted that smuggling continues to undermine legitimate businesses, distort market competition, and deprive the government of critical domestic revenue needed to fund public services and national development projects.
URA has in recent years intensified border surveillance, enforcement operations, and intelligence-led investigations aimed at intercepting illegal goods entering the Ugandan market. Authorities have also warned traders and importers against engaging in illicit trade, emphasizing that offenders risk prosecution, confiscation of goods, and financial penalties.
The destruction exercise demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to protecting consumers, supporting fair trade, and safeguarding the country’s economy from the negative effects of smuggling and counterfeit products.
