The Directorate of Interpol and International Relations has successfully carried out a joint security operation code named USALAMA .
The annual INTERPOL activity which was carried out in various parts of the country led to the recovery of suspected stolen cars, electricity cables wild life property, intercepting of narcotic drugs, arrest of human traffickers, and destruction of 30 acres of marijuana.
This was revealed by the Director Interpol and International Relations, AIGP Moses Balimwoyo during the press briefing at Interpol headquarters in Kololo.
“The operation targeted transnational organized crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking, motor vehicle theft, human trafficking, smuggling, theft of travel documents, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, counterfeit goods and pharmaceuticals, theft/smuggling of precious metals and Environmental crimes,” noted AIGP Balimwoyo.
He added that the main area of operation suspected human traffickers, car bonds/moving motor vehicles and suspected premises of organized crime, points of entry and exit into the country, criminal cartels /syndicates, suspected business places selling counterfeit /substandard product and Vandalism.
“One suspect was arrested by the police mineral protection unit with 134 grams approximately valued at 17,500,000 (seventeen million five hundred thousand Uganda shillings) of smuggled Gold and precious stones at Entebbe international airport, 06 suspects arrested from three illegal drug dealers’ hub in Kisenyi, Kampala selling narcotics and were charged in courts of law, 02 suspects were arrested and charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs in Busia district, 50 small wrapped papers containing suspected narcotic drugs were recovered in Mbale and submitted to the laboratory for analysis, 03 suspects arrested over cultivating narcotic drugs and were taken to court, 33 gardens of cannabis measuring approximately 30 acres destroyed, six bags of dried and crushed cannabis and 20kgs of cannabis seeds were recovered and destroyed in Busia District, 10 suspects were arrested in Busia district in possession of about 10 kilograms of dried cannabis leaves and seeds and were charged in courts and remanded to prison, 01 person was arrested with smoked monitor lizard meat and its skin, 01 person was arrested extracting sand from a forest reserve and Lake Victoria shores without approval from relevant authorities, 04 motor vehicles found loading illegally mined sand were abandoned by the drivers and were impounded, 09 Cases of human trafficking were registered, 06 under inquiry, 03 taken to court, 30 victims of trafficking intercepted and 10 suspects arrested, 106 counterfeit printing cartridges recovered 2,003,000 pirated CD movies, 15,000 pirated text books, 10 bearings for timber sawing machine, 174 pieces of piston rings, 108 tension slides and 3 posh vehicles impounded within Kampala,” he added.
AIGP Balimwoyo said regular joint operations by all law enforcement agencies are necessary in order to marshal force’s efforts to fight transnational crimes.
“These crimes have an impact on lives of everyone like counterfeit products, consuming narcotics that lead to loss of lives, climatic change caused by distraction of environment. Our economy is also affected through loss of taxes and reduced tourism,” he noted.