Traders in Karamoja Transporting Crude Waragi in Sacks to Evade Arrest

Traders dealing in the transportation and sale of crude waragi in the Karamoja sub-region are smuggling waragi in sacks.

The government banned the sale of crude waragi that is supplied from Jinja, Lira, Mbale, and Soroti to Karamoja to allow locals to concentrate on development.

Last month, the Police resolved to resume their operations against the sale and consumption of crude waragi because it is partly to blame for the increasing cases of insecurity. They observed that most of the raiders arrested in their operations are either drunk or have pocketed bottles of crude waragi indicating that it’s the driving factor for cattle theft.

Micheal Longole, the Mt Moroto Region Police Spokesperson says that their officers at Nadunget checkpoint arrested a businesswoman Margaret Atyang with twenty liters of crude waragi packed in sacks disguised as posho flour.

Longole said when Atyang was interrogated, she tried to convince the officers manning Nadunget checkpoint that she was transporting the spirit to be used in the saloons.

He said on the same day another truck used for carrying marble stones was intercepted with 25 Jerricans of crude waragi.

The police also impounded another truck at Angorom checkpoint along Abim- Kotido Road.

Chemusto Francis, RPC Mt. Moroto has directed DPCs to release impounded trucks found carrying waragi after securing a court order for the disposal of waragi in order to make the business of waragi a risky venture for both transporters and owners of the waragi.

The anti waragi Police Operation which intensified in May alongside a simultaneous cordon search disarmament operation has seen 1,583 Jerricans of waragi impounded by security personnel manning checkpoints.

 1,440 Jerricans of waragi have been destroyed after securing court orders.