SOROTI, Uganda — Security agencies in Uganda have intensified a nationwide crackdown on illegal government documentation after police recovered 525 passports in Soroti City, raising fresh concerns over organised document trafficking networks.
Authorities say the latest seizure followed an intelligence-led operation in which officers recovered an additional 264 passports, adding to 261 passports found earlier in Soroti City East. Two more suspects were arrested, bringing the total number of people in custody to three as investigations expand.
According to latest reports, the passports are believed to have been issued or obtained fraudulently, pointing to coordinated efforts to supply travel documents outside official channels.
Investigators indicated that the documents were discovered alongside materials suggesting organised activity rather than isolated possession. The operation followed months of surveillance after authorities detected irregularities in passport issuance patterns.
In Uganda, possession of an illegal passport can attract a fine or imprisonment of up to two years, while individuals involved in producing or distributing such documents face heavier penalties.
Officials say the probe now seeks to establish whether immigration officials, brokers or cross-border criminal groups played a role. Security sources suspect some of the passports may have been intended for migrants pursuing irregular travel routes or individuals attempting to conceal identities.
The arrests come amid heightened regional scrutiny of document fraud across East Africa, where authorities have increasingly linked illegal documentation to human trafficking, labour migration scams and transnational crime syndicates.
Police previously confirmed that broader operations targeting unlawful government documentation had resulted in multiple arrests and the recovery of forged or improperly issued identity papers, reinforcing concerns that organised networks are exploiting administrative loopholes.
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Analysts warn that passport fraud carries significant diplomatic and security implications, particularly in regions with high cross-border mobility. Compromised travel documents can weaken immigration screening systems and complicate international cooperation on security vetting.
Authorities have urged the public to obtain travel documents strictly through official processes, cautioning that middlemen promising expedited services often operate within fraudulent networks.
The suspects remain in custody as forensic examination of the seized passports continues. Police say further arrests are expected as investigators trace the origin of the documents and identify potential beneficiaries of the scheme.
