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URA intercepts woman entering Uganda with pistol

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intercepted a pistol concealed in the luggage of a woman at the Elegu One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) on the Uganda-South Sudan border.

The  gun (R) was scanned as shown on the desktop screen (L)
  • Pistol concealed in luggage intercepted at Uganda-South Sudan border
  • 46-year-old woman, Heba Youssef Taleldin Mahmoud, caught with hidden firearm
  • Advanced X-ray technology used to detect concealed pistol in baggage
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The woman has been identified as Heba Youssef Taleldin Mahmoud, a 46-year-old of unnamed nationality.

According to URA Supervisor for the tax body’s Non-Intrusive Operations Field Operations, David Mugarra, the hidden firearm was discovered on July 8 at Elegu.

Non-intrusive X-ray Inspection is a modern method used in customs to screen imported or exported goods and passenger baggage without disrupting their integrity. This advanced technology uses X-rays to detect hidden items in goods, without the need to open or move them.

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“On 8th July 2024, an event at the Elegu Border between Uganda and South Sudan captivated authorities as Heba was caught entering Uganda with a concealed pistol,” Mugarra explained.

URA Supervisor Non-Intrusive CCTV Surveillance, SP Moses Sonko, stated that URA officials instructed Heba to place her baggage into the CT X-ray scanner. The detailed 3D X-ray image revealed the concealed weapon tacked in her belongings.

The 46-year-old has since been arrested and handed over to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for further investigation.

In a related development, the Non-Intrusive Inspection machines recently netted an individual with ammunition attempting to cross into Uganda.

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By leveraging these scanners, URA can expedite cargo processing while swiftly identifying concealed threats such as firearms and illicit substances.

In the fiscal year 2023/24, interventions facilitated by NII equipment led to the recovery of more than Shs218 billion through the detection of concealed, undeclared, and falsely declared dutiable goods.

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