The URA Enforcement Team Recovers a Stolen DR Congo Fuel Truck

In the early hours of Friday, a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement team in Mbale district foiled the robbery of a fuel truck on its way to DR Congo.

The tax authority stated on Monday that this was in response to a tip that unknown armed assailants had hijacked the fuel truck Reg Number KCB022G.

“It is reported that the truck driver and turn-boy were held at gunpoint shortly after Malaba and later thrown out of the truck around Busiu, along the Mbale-Tororo Road, with both their feet and hands tied together in ‘kandooya’ style,” URA management said.

When the enforcement team received this report, they immediately contacted the Transit Monitoring Unit, which manages the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS), for a live location of the truck, and a team of security personnel was formed to move in and rescue the cargo.

The URA Transit Monitoring Unit located the fuel truck at Nakaloke, along the Mbale-Soroti Road, about 50 kilometers from where it was hijacked, and notified the rescue team.

“The team arrived at the location right away. As the assailants were siphoning fuel from the fuel truck, the team intercepted it in a very dark area. When the law enforcement team approached, the assailants fled for their lives and scattered into the surrounding bushes, leaving their victims behind.

The enforcement team recovered all of the stolen fuel (about 200 litres), a gun, a magazine with three rounds of ammunition, a bag containing documents, and a sack containing phones and clothes believed to belong to the truck driver and turn-boy.

“The truck driver described the heroics of his turn-boy, who bit the ropes to free them, and sought the assistance of Nakaloke area leaders, who provided a phone that the driver used to contact his relatives, who immediately reported the incident to URA.”

The gun, magazine, and ammunition were turned over to Security Operatives, while the truck and its contents were turned over to the Intelligence Team for further investigation.

“This recovery is credited to the driver’s vigilance, quick reaction, and RECTS technology,” according to URA.