SH-ACU arrests fraudsters with $2M counterfeit currency
ENTEBE. In a collaborative effort on Friday, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) with the assistance of Entebbe police, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority security, and a local council (LC) leader, successfully carried out a raid in a garage located in Entebbe Municipality.
The operation led by the Head of SH-ACU, Brig Henry Isoke was conducted following a tip-off regarding a suspicious consignment believed to have been smuggled from Entebbe International Airport.
The investigation, which began in May 2024 and continued into October, focused on monitoring a consignment that had raised red flags at the airport. On December 17th, the consignment was illicitly removed from the airport, prompting the SH-ACU’s investigative team to take action. The team swiftly traced the consignment to the aforementioned garage in Entebbe.
Upon conducting a thorough search of the premises, the joint investigation team made a startling discovery – 40 large and medium metallic boxes filled with what appeared to be counterfeit US dollars totaling an estimated $2 million. To deceive potential victims, the fraudsters had cleverly added soil to the boxes to increase their weight, creating a facade of authenticity.
In addition to the counterfeit currency, the team uncovered several bulky boxes that were deceptively packaged to appear as goods in transit. However, upon closer inspection, these boxes were found to contain worthless items such as empty soda and beer crates.
As a result of the successful operation, three suspects have been apprehended, with ongoing efforts to capture other individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme.
Brigadier General Henry Isoke, the Head of SH-ACU, has reaffirmed the unit’s unwavering commitment to combatting criminal activities that seek to exploit both innocent citizens and foreigners through illicit financial transactions.
