BUSIA — The Non-intrusive Inspection (NII) cargo scanners installed at Busia and Malaba border points have enable Uganda Revenue Authority’s Customs to effectively and efficiently inspect over 1400 consignments daily.
Mr. Ian Rumanyika Ag. Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs (URA) said NII scanners are precise and can even find an undeclared three millimetre wire.
“The equipment detects concealed, undeclared and miss-declared goods with an ability to penetrate 300mm of steel and detect 3mm of a suspended wire,” he said, quoting an incident at Malaba One Stop Border Post (OSBP) where customs officers singled-out a tonne of smuggled rice hidden in the chassis of a truck carrying steel rolls, as they inspected cargo using NII equipment.
With the scanner tip-off, he added that Malaba Enforcement team swung into action— impounding the suspected truck.
“The practice of smuggling rice and wheat in truck chassis has grown into a habit for truck drivers, but the eye of the scanner is like a flood-light that exposes their agendas and protects the Government from revenue leakages” Rumanyika said.
URA is banking on improved tax administration to meet its targets and scanners are playing a key role in this.
NII also protects the community at the border and the country at large from the dangers of radiation exposure by deploying Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) to inspect every consignment for any radiation sources in imported cargo.
The scanners were connected to existing systems like the Asycuda World, a customs system that is used by importers and exporters in different parts of East Africa to clear goods even before they reach their destination.
The ability to scan and see all goods going through Malaba and Busia, means goods are being cleared faster and more efficiently.
