Pakwach
The police have intercepted a Koboko ambulance with smuggled cigarettes in Pakwach. According to DPC Pakwach the ambulance was carrying about 1500 packets of contraband cigarettes estimated to be worth millions of shillings.
The alleged driver Abukwa Nobert has been transferred from Pakwach to Kampala after being found with smuggled sacks of cigarettes in a UNCHR donated ambulance to Koboko hospital registration number UBD 512X.
“The ambulance reportedly belonged to a private medical company and had been hired to transport ailing patients to a hospital in Pakwach. However, upon inspection, the officers found hidden crates of cigarettes stashed beneath the stretchers” DPC narrates.
The officers say they received an anonymous tipoff about the illegal consignment, and upon investigation, they discovered that the ambulance was part of a syndicate involved in cross-border smuggling activities.
The driver of the ambulance was immediately arrested, and police are now conducting further investigations to uncover the identity of other suspects involved in the racket.
The Pakwach District Police Commander advised the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. He also added that smuggling is a crime, and those found engaging in it will face the full force of the law.
This incident highlights the prevalence of smuggling activities in Uganda’s border areas, despite the government’s attempt to curb the illicit trade. The authorities have promised to intensify their surveillance operations to counter such illegal activities.
Koboko seems to have bad luck with ambulance services since this is not the first bad news about ambulances. In 2021, Hon. Evelyn Anite withdrew her ambulance that she had donated to the district after losing an election.
