Ugandan authorities have seized a massive haul of contraband smartphones worth $55,000, highlighting the growing issue of phone smuggling in the region. The smuggled phones, which included 781 smartphones and 108 units of button phones, were intercepted by security agents from the Ugandan Revenue Authority.

The smugglers used various tactics to try and bypass airport security, including concealing phones in luggage, attempting to bribe airport staff, and even strapping phones directly onto their bodies. However, the authorities were able to foil their plans through a combination of intelligence gathering, passenger profiling, and non-intrusive inspections.

The seizure is significant, as phones are the most smuggled items at Entebbe airport, and the increase in phone smuggling is largely attributed to ignorance of values and taxes to be paid, as well as greed by traders to evade taxes on mobile phones. The incident highlights the need for stricter enforcement measures to combat phone smuggling and protect the local tech industry.