Adjumani, Uganda | URN | The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has arrested at least 231 foreign nationals in a series of intelligence-led operations conducted in Kampala and Adjumani District over the past two days.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Peter Mundeyi, the coordinated enforcement targeted individuals suspected of residing in Uganda illegally and engaging in unlawful activities.
In Kampala, 169 foreign nationals were arrested during an overnight operation from April 27 into the morning of April 28 at a residential property in Bukoto along the Bukoto-Ntinda road. Authorities say the premises had been converted into a highly restricted, self-contained facility, with limited movement for occupants.
Mundeyi said the building had effectively been turned into a dormitory, with one section operating as an office equipped with computers and sophisticated communication devices suspected to have been used in online scams, as well as gaming and betting activities. Preliminary findings also suggest the group had Ugandan accomplices who helped identify and lure victims.
According to officials, victims would receive calls and be handed phones to speak with individuals posing as foreign employers offering lucrative job opportunities abroad, only to be defrauded in the process.
“We received a tip-off that these people were engaging in illegal activities without proper documentation allowing them to work here,” Mundeyi said. “We found them with computers and other equipment. Their work involves scamming desperate Ugandans seeking jobs.”Mundeyi revealed that many of the suspects did not possess identification documents such as passports, and some claimed their documents had been confiscated by their employers, who are currently on the run.
“Under the Immigration Act, all foreigners must carry their documents at all times. We will process and screen them to verify how many possess passports, valid visas, or work permits. That is our next step,” he added.
The Kampala suspects are nationals of several countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
In a separate operation on April 27, immigration authorities arrested 62 Nigerian nationals in Adjumani District in Northern Uganda. The group was reportedly operating without valid work permits and had been running church-related activities.
Of the total 231 individuals arrested, 36 are women, while the rest are men. Preliminary screening indicates that some of the suspects may have been trafficked into the country under false promises of employment, raising concerns about human trafficking. Others are believed to have been directly involved in cyber-related criminal activities.
All suspects are currently detained at the Immigration facility on Jinja Road in Kampala as screening and verification processes continue. Authorities say those found to have violated immigration laws will be prosecuted, fined, and deported, while cases involving trafficking or other serious crimes will be referred to relevant law enforcement agencies.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected illegal activities to immigration authorities or the police, as enforcement operations intensify across the country. Mundeyi noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly to apprehend the alleged masterminds, who remain at large.
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