URA arrests key phone smuggler in downtown Kampala, seizes Over 4,300 illicit devices

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against smartphone smuggling after arresting a suspected ringleader during an intelligence-led operation in downtown Kampala. The suspect was picked up by URA’s Team One Enforcement after weeks of surveillance that led officers to a large consignment of undeclared mobile phones believed to have been smuggled into the country.

URA estimates that the intercepted gadgets could translate into more than Shs500 million in unpaid taxes and penalties once investigations are concluded. The operation comes at a time when Kampala’s electronics corridor—from Kampala Road to Luwum Street—has increasingly turned into a hotspot for suspiciously cheap smartphones and refurbished devices believed to be entering the market through illegal channels. Enforcement officers say several shops in this belt receive phones even before official distributors announce new shipments, with backroom spaces often filled with boxes bearing foreign barcodes and no import documentation.

According to URA investigators, smugglers linked to the arrested suspect have adopted highly creative concealment methods to bypass detection. Some phones are hidden inside clothing, power-bank casings, or hollowed-out laptops, while others are moved through long-distance buses that act as mobile storage units. In Kampala, motorcycle couriers are used to weave through traffic quickly, avoiding checkpoints. A growing tactic commonly referred to as “human warehousing” involves groups of individuals each carrying small quantities of phones across borders in multiple coordinated waves.

Alex Murungi, one of the URA enforcement officers involved in the operation, said the team remains committed to clearing the market of what he called economic saboteurs. He stated that smugglers are becoming more sophisticated, but URA is continuously adapting its strategies to match their methods.

During verification, officers recovered a total of 4,371 mobile phones, ranging from basic Nokia button models to high-end Samsung Galaxy devices. URA says the black-market trade is denying government significant revenue, destabilizing legitimate importers, and exposing consumers to counterfeit or stolen gadgets that have no warranties or traceability.

Authorities say this operation is part of a wider crackdown that will continue through smarter tax systems, stricter import controls, and advanced enforcement measures designed to keep pace with tech-savvy smuggling networks. URA maintains that it will sustain the pressure until the illegal smartphone trade is dismantled.