Police in Lamwo District have arrested three people after recovering 700 rounds of live ammunition allegedly hidden inside a metallic box beneath bars of soap at Apiriti Border Post.
The dramatic interception followed an intelligence-led operation on Sunday night in Madiopei Town Council after security agencies received information about a suspicious South Sudanese national who had crossed into Uganda.
Police identified the main suspect as Edward Peter, 24, a South Sudanese boda boda rider from Tseretenya Village in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria State. He reportedly told officers that he had entered Uganda to buy a box of soap before collecting the package from a garage owned by David Nokrach.
When security officers stopped Peter at the border checkpoint and searched the package, they reportedly discovered a metallic ammunition box concealed beneath the soap. Inside were 700 rounds of 7.62x39mm live ammunition.
Peter was arrested and taken back to the garage, where Nokrach was also detained. During preliminary questioning, Nokrach allegedly told investigators that the package had been given to him by Kidega Tabu, identified as the Gombolola Internal Security Officer of Madiopei Town Council.
Tabu was subsequently arrested, while police continue searching for another suspect identified as Lukuli, who is alleged to have sent Peter to collect the package.
A Bajaj motorcycle, registration SSD 208AP, was also recovered and secured as an exhibit.
The ammunition and motorcycle are being held as investigations continue under CRB 242/2026 at Lamwo Central Police Station, in coordination with the UPDF 5th Division.
