Some of the confisicated drugs
Uganda Revenue Authority has impounded drugs that were being smuggled into the country through Entebbe International Airport.
URA’s non-intrusive inspection scanner at the airport identified the hidden drugs in the personal belongings of Kizigo J. Farouk, a regular Ugandan trader.
Simon Esunget, the URA Manager Customs Entebbe, stated that 138 packets of human drugs containing over 2,700 tablets were discovered. The consignment included Amoklavin, Nexium, Aerius, Duphaston, and Augmentin, which, according to National Drugs Authority (NDA) personnel at Entebbe, were classified drugs that had been imported without NDA authorization.
The drugs also did not meet the labelling requirement as per the National Drug Policy and Authority Act CAP 206.
Upon interrogation, the suspect revealed that he had been used by Ken Ssenkuma of Mukono to transport the drugs into Uganda.
“One of the major challenges at the airport is that a consignee can use about ten people to smuggle drugs into Uganda since most airlines allow a certain weight for personal effects of travelers,” Esunget said.
Recently URA clarified that irrespective of the channel of clearance, all passenger baggage shall be subjected to non-intrusive inspection (NII scanner).
The drugs were taken to the NDA headquarters in Kampala for offence management.
-URA