URA scanners intercept fake dollar smuggler at Malaba

FRAUD

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) customs officers have arrested a South Sudanese national who was smuggling fake dollar bills at the Malaba border point. 

According to Ian Rumanyika, manager public and corporate affairs at URA, Duach Chuol Kaylech Toang was crossing into Uganda from Kenya. His final destination was South Sudan. 

"As is the norm, travellers crossing the border are checked and so is their hand luggage. The scanner picked up something uncanny which prompted the team to physically inspect the luggage," Rumayika said in a statement. 

"They found bundles of papers the size of a dollar and some liquid among other things. On face value, they were just papers but upon application of the liquid (chemical) contained in Duach's luggage, the papers transformed into fake dollars. Immediately the suspect, Duach was arrested and he is set to face the law," he added. 

Non-intrusive Inspection technology is a powerful tool against smuggling that continues to put many smugglers away. 

Last year, scanners at the Busia OSBP intercepted a Kenyan registered truck smuggling two people in boxes into Uganda. 

Rumayika noted that facilitation of legitimate trade and protection of society from harmful products are two of customs core mandates and as such the introduction of fake dollars into our economy is intolerable.