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by Emmanuel Garjiek
Lamwo District, Uganda — August 11, 2026
Ugandan police have arrested a 24‑year‑old South Sudanese man for attempting to smuggle 700 rounds of live AKM ammunition hidden inside a box of soap across the border into South Sudan.
The arrest took place Sunday evening in Madiopei Town Council during an intelligence‑led operation that began at 8:00 p.m. Police say three suspects were detained. Officers recovered a metallic box marked “7.62 × 39 mm FMJ/SC” containing the ammunition, with additional markings including “LOT# 13 20‑19”and “SSNF 50 05/19.”
Superintendent of Police Magombe Reagan, Lamwo District Police Commander, explained that the operation was triggered by intelligence reports of a suspicious South Sudanese national entering Uganda through the Apiriti Border Post.
“The information was shared with the commander of Bana Bana Battalion of the UPDF and the Officer in Charge of Madiopei Station, who coordinated with other officers to establish a checkpoint at Apiriti Border Post,” Reagan said.
The suspect was identified as Edward Peter, a boda boda rider from Tseretenya Village in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria State. Police say Peter claimed he had entered Uganda to buy soap, but after collecting the box from a garage owned by Nokrach David, he was intercepted at the checkpoint.
Inside the box, officers found the concealed ammunition. Peter was arrested and taken back to the garage, leading to Nokrach’s detention. Investigators later arrested Kidega Tabu, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) of Madiopei Town Council, who allegedly handed the box to Nokrach for delivery to a mechanic named Lukuli in Ikotos. Lukuli remains at large and is considered a person of interest.
Police also seized a Bajaj motorcycle (SSD 208AP) believed to have been used in the smuggling attempt. Both the ammunition and the motorcycle have been secured as evidence.
The case is under investigation at Lamwo Central Police Station (CRB 242/2026) in coordination with the UPDF’s 5th Division Command. Authorities say inquiries are focused on tracing the source of the ammunition, its intended destination, and identifying any additional individuals involved.
