By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Border officials have intercepted South Sudanese national at Elegu One Stop Border post, smuggling loaded pistol. The discovery was made during a routine check of passengers entering Uganda.
According to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), the pistol was found hidden inside a passenger’s luggage. The firearm was fully loaded and did not have the proper documentation or licenses required to legally transport it across the border.
Customs authorities said they have apprehended a South Sudanese citizen, identified as Machol Madol who was found to be carrying a pistol with five rounds of ammunition concealed within a handbag.
The incident comes a week after a Sudanese national, a 46-year-old woman, was arrested at the same border post for attempting to smuggle a concealed pistol into Uganda.
According to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Non-Intrusion Inspection (NII) technology plays a crucial role in detecting concealed weapons.
“On the 8th of July, 2024, an event at the Elegu Border post between South Sudan and Uganda arrested a female passenger while entering Uganda with a concealed pistol,” reads a URA statement.
The URA Supervisor NII CCT Surveillance explained that the 3D X-ray scanner revealed the hidden pistol inside the woman’s bag.
The authority noted that similar cases of arms trafficking from South Sudan to Uganda have been intercepted at the Elegu Border Post.
“Recently, our NII officials at Elegu exposed hidden ammunition on another attempting to cross into Uganda from South Sudan,” the statement added.
X-ray scanners have been instrumental in combating smuggling activities at the border. The Uganda Customs officials claim to have recovered goods worth UGX 218 billion through the use of this technology.
Elegu One Stop Border Post is a major entry point for travelers from South Sudan and Sudan. However, the absence of similar detection equipment at the Nimule One Stop Border Post in South Sudan poses challenges in controlling arms trafficking.
However, when contacted by No.1 Citizens Newspaper, Brig, James Dak, South Sudan Deputy Police Spokesperson said they are yet to receive information on the indecent.