5 in trouble for smuggling fuel from South Sudan

Five people are in custody following their arrest by Police in Lamwo District for allegedly smuggling petroleum products from South Sudan into Uganda.

security personnel and enforcement officers of the Uganda Revenue Authority-URA carried out a joint operation on Wednesday and arrested the suspects.

According to Lamwo Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega, the suspects were found in possession of smuggled products in their shops while others were sneaking in with the fuel at the porous border points of Waligo in Palabek Nyimur Sub County.

They were allegedly taking advantage of the current escalation in fuel prices to deal in smuggled fuel.

Agoro Sub County residents say the smugglers have frequently been seen using the ungazetted border post of Kalanga where they proceed to Lutukuya and Tseretenya in South Sudan and buy fuel products cheap and later sell expensively.

During the operations, authorities also seized 750 litres of fuel and motorcycles used for ferrying the products.

Via URN