On 28th August 2020, a combined team of URA Customs and Civil Aviation officials intercepted two packages, one declared as containing 4 pieces of synthetic hair destined for India and another falsely declared as a gift set comprising of a shirt, tie and a watch destined for Cameroon. An extensive check unearthed 830gms of heroin concealed in a false bottom of the gift box created by the drug traffickers to avoid detection.
The second interception was last week on Thursday when Customs Enforcement and the Aviation Police netted another package containing a recipe book destined for Greece. Upon extensively searching the consignment, 300gms of heroine were found concealed in within the hard cover pages of the book.
The total drugs seized amounted to 1,040gms worth about UGX 460 Million on the black market. The suspected drug traffickers were apprehended and are currently assisting police with investigations to bring down the entire racket.
At a time when air traffic is limited to cargo, one would think that drug cartels have taken a break from the heinous business, but on the contrary, this is exactly what happened at Entebbe International Airport recently as suspicious export packages were red flagged by the Airport Container Control Unit, a UNODC-WCO unit formed at the airport comprising of URA Customs, Aviation Anti-Narcotics police and Uganda Wildlife Authority to build capacity in improving risk management, trade facilitation and prevention of cross-border movement of illicit goods.
In the wake of the new Commissioner Customs Department, Abel Kagumire’s rallying call to staff for more vigilance in managing export declarations; the Entebbe Customs Enforcement team has increased their interest in exports.
They are on high alert to net individuals hoping to take advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown which affected international passenger travel. Contraband traffickers had since turned to using courier and postal companies to transport illicit drugs and other types of contraband.
WHAT IS HEROIN?
Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive ecstasy drug processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder that is “cut” with sugars, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste that predominantly originates in South America and, to a lesser extent, from Southeast Asia, and dominates U.S.
John Musinguzi the new URA boss from whom government expects him to fight illicit trade and to raise tax collection is heading coordination that fights movement and trade in drugs.
Credit: eastafricanwatch.net
