URA impounds polythene bags
Feb 10, 2009
Officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority on Friday impounded a truck carrying illegal polythene bags.
By Donald Kiirya
Officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority on Friday impounded a truck carrying illegal polythene bags.
According to the agency’s enforcement officer for the eastern region, Rogers Mugabi, the truck with registration number UAL 178H, was impounded with polythene bags below 30 microns that were being smuggled to Kampala from Kenya.
The East African Community governments banned the sale and production of polythene bags below 30 microns in the 2007/08 financial year.
Mugabi said despite identifying themselves to the occupants of the truck, the driver refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.
The officials shot into the air, which prompted the occupants to abandon the vehicle while it was still in motion.
The vehicle, loaded with 60 bundles of polythene bags of 20 microns, 13 rolls of African fabric and medicines valued at sh50m in taxes, rammed into a moving trailer and an Iganga-bound bus before it landed into a trench on the Jinja-Iganga highway.
“These polythene bags have replaced Supermatch cigarettes as a prime item for smuggling,†Mugabi said on Saturday at the tax body’s offices in Jinja town.
Officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority on Friday impounded a truck carrying illegal polythene bags.
According to the agency’s enforcement officer for the eastern region, Rogers Mugabi, the truck with registration number UAL 178H, was impounded with polythene bags below 30 microns that were being smuggled to Kampala from Kenya.
The East African Community governments banned the sale and production of polythene bags below 30 microns in the 2007/08 financial year.
Mugabi said despite identifying themselves to the occupants of the truck, the driver refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.
The officials shot into the air, which prompted the occupants to abandon the vehicle while it was still in motion.
The vehicle, loaded with 60 bundles of polythene bags of 20 microns, 13 rolls of African fabric and medicines valued at sh50m in taxes, rammed into a moving trailer and an Iganga-bound bus before it landed into a trench on the Jinja-Iganga highway.
“These polythene bags have replaced Supermatch cigarettes as a prime item for smuggling,†Mugabi said on Saturday at the tax body’s offices in Jinja town.