The consignment was intercepted in Kamuli District in the early hours of August 20, 2026, following an intelligence-led operation by the URA enforcement team based in Iganga.
According to URA, the team received intelligence on the evening of August 19 that a vehicle was transporting Pakistan rice concealed beneath dried cassava at a consolidation store in Namutumba District.
The consignment was reportedly destined for Kampala through the Tirinyi Road corridor.
URA said the suspects monitored the movement of its enforcement vehicle and changed their route after apparently suspecting that they were being followed.
“They abandoned the main route and turned towards rural roads through Kaliro and Kamuli, apparently hoping to shake off the surveillance,” URA said in a statement.
However, the enforcement team anticipated the change in route and mounted an ambush along the suspected route in Kamuli District.
At about 3:00 a.m., officers intercepted an Isuzu short-chassis truck, registration number UBG 574G.
A search of the vehicle uncovered 180 bags of Pakistan rice weighing approximately 4.5 tonnes, concealed beneath the dried cassava.
URA said the operation demonstrates the importance of intelligence and counter-intelligence in combating smuggling.
“The incident reveals that smuggling operations can sometimes come dressed in surprisingly ordinary clothing, in this case, arrive under a blanket of cassava. However, the cassava did not fool the intelligence,” the authority said.
The tax authority explained that concealment is one of the methods commonly used by smugglers to evade detection, warning that such consignments can pass through checkpoints if enforcement agencies do not employ effective intelligence-led operations.
URA also noted that imported rice from outside the East African Community is subject to customs duties, standards, inspection and other import requirements.
“Rice transported without the required customs clearance or concealed to evade tax constitutes a smuggling offence,” URA said.
