The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) made a significant discovery at the Elegu One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) on the Uganda-South Sudan border, intercepting a concealed pistol in baggage.
URA Supervisor NII Field Operations, David Mugarra, reported that on July 8, 2024, a concealed pistol was found in the luggage of 46-year-old Heba Youssef Taleldin Mamoud. “An event at the Elegu Border between Uganda and South Sudan captivated authorities as Heba was caught while entering Uganda with a concealed pistol,” Mugarra explained.
URA Supervisor NII CCTV Surveillance, SP Moses Sonko, stated that URA officials instructed Heba to place her baggage into the CT X-ray scanner. The detailed 3D X-ray image revealed the hidden weapon entwined in her belongings. Heba was subsequently arrested and handed over to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for further investigations.
This incident follows a recent interception at the same border where NII officers uncovered hidden ammunition on another individual attempting to enter Uganda from South Sudan.
These cases underscore the critical role of URA’s Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology. The advanced X-ray scanners used by NII enable the scrutiny of large volumes of cargo without the need for physical inspection. By leveraging these scanners, URA can expedite cargo processing while swiftly identifying concealed threats such as firearms and illicit substances.
In the fiscal year 2023/24, NII interventions led to the recovery of over UGX 218 billion through the detection of concealed, undeclared, and falsely declared dutiable goods. Equipped with Radiation Portal Monitors, the NII equipment is vital in protecting Uganda’s borders from illicit radiation sources and other emerging threats.
