Two foreign nationals are in Police detention arrested for trafficking illicit drugs from Uganda to Europe. The two; an Italian and a Portuguese were both arrested in separate incidents last week as they transited through Entebbe International airport.
One has been identified as Laudato Massimo, 37, who had an Italian passport while the other is Antonio Manuel, 64, who had a Portuguese passport.
Massimo who was traveling to Brussels in Belgium was found in possession of 3 kilograms of heroin, a narcotic drug before he boarded Brussels Air.
Police Spokesperson, SSP Emilian Kayima told journalists at a news conference on Monday that the suspect had concealed the narcotic drug in his travel bag. Massimo had hidden the heroin in the bottom of the bag, a tactic known as ‘false bottom’ which is often used by drug traffickers. This concealment helps them to pass through drug scanners without being detected.
Last Friday, Antonio was also apprehended at Entebbe Airport while he was boarding Egypt Air enroute to Amsterdam.
“He had with him suspected heroin. It is yet to be measured and submitted to the Government Analytical Laboratory for thorough examination,” the Police spokesperson told journalists.
Entebbe Airport is known to be a conduit for drug trafficking both for those sourcing it from within Uganda and those who use it as a transit route from neighbouring Congo.
Police say that most of the traffickers use ‘anti-dogs’ which ward off sniffer dogs disenabling them from detecting the drugs. Others swallow drug pellets while ladies have developed a habit of concealing the drugs in their private parts.
Recently, former Police Chief, Gen Kale Kayihura declared a war on narcotic drugs and announced that in addition to stepping up its anti-drug operations, Police would form a Drug Unit within the Police Force to crack down on the use and sale of narcotics.