UCAA Pledges Tough Action Against  Trafficking as Aviation Police Hands Over Tonnes of Wildlife Contraband to UWA

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has issued a strong warning to international wildlife traffickers after Aviation Police at Entebbe International Airport handed over nearly nine tonnes of confiscated wildlife products to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). The handover, conducted on Friday, marks one of the most significant enforcement actions in recent years and underscores UCAA’s growing role in combating illegal wildlife trade through Uganda’s air transport system.

 

The seized items, weighing 8,857.84 kilograms, were recovered in a series of joint operations dating back to 2011.They include raw and worked ivory, pangolin scales, rhino horns, hippopotamus teeth, lion teeth, skins, and ostrich eggshells. Many of the exhibits had been concealed in sophisticated ways, including in tins falsely labeled as shea butter, a method authorities say reflects the increasingly deceptive tactics used by trafficking networks operating across the region.

 

The handover ceremony at Entebbe International Airport was presided over by SP Irene Mugoya, representing the Commandant of Aviation Police, and Ms. Margaret Kasumba, UWA’s Assistant Commissioner for Law Enforcement. Kasumba commended the security agencies for their vigilance and for maintaining the integrity of the exhibits over the years they remained in police custody. She noted that the seizures represent a major disruption to criminal syndicates that have attempted to exploit Uganda as a transit route for high‑value wildlife products.

 

Aviation Police officials credited the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority for its sustained investment in airport security systems, which they say has made Entebbe a difficult environment for traffickers. Over the years, UCAA has strengthened its security posture through the deployment of a specialized canine unit, enhanced screening and surveillance technologies, closer inter‑agency coordination, and continuous staff training on wildlife‑crime detection.

 

These measures have significantly reduced the use of Entebbe as a transit point for illegal wildlife products. While some of the confiscated items originated from within Uganda, authorities say the majority were intercepted from foreign traffickers attempting to move contraband through the airport.

 

Speaking on the development, UCAA Spokesperson Mr. Luggya Vianney reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to ensuring that Uganda’s aviation system is not exploited by criminal networks. “The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority remains fully committed to ensuring that Entebbe International Airport is not used as a conduit for illegal wildlife trafficking. Our security teams, working hand in hand with Aviation Police and UWA, have consistently intercepted prohibited items and protected Uganda’s reputation as a responsible member of the global aviation and conservation community,” he said.

 

Luggya added that UCAA will continue supporting inter‑agency operations to ensure traffickers find no safe passage through Uganda’s air transport network.The handover exercise, which began on May 19 and concluded on June 5, sends a clear message that Uganda’s aviation sector—led by UCAA and Aviation Police—remains alert, coordinated, and uncompromising. Authorities say the operation reinforces Uganda’s commitment to international conservation efforts and its determination to dismantle trafficking networks that threaten endangered species.

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