Immigration Crackdown Nets 231 Foreign Nationals Over Online Scam Links

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1352 EAT on Wednesday 29 April 2026

At least 231 foreign nationals have been arrested by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) following intelligence-led operations conducted in Kampala and Adjumani District this week.

Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi said the coordinated raids targeted individuals suspected of illegally residing in Uganda and engaging in unlawful activities.

In Kampala, 169 suspects were arrested during an overnight operation between April 27 and the morning of April 28 at a residential property in Bukoto along the Bukoto–Ntinda road.

Authorities said the building had been converted into a restricted, self-contained facility with tightly controlled movement. Mundeyi said part of the premises was being used as a dormitory, while another section functioned as an office fitted with computers and communication equipment allegedly used in online scams, alongside gaming and betting activities.

Preliminary findings also indicate possible involvement of Ugandan collaborators who allegedly helped identify and recruit victims. Officials said victims were contacted by individuals posing as foreign employers offering attractive overseas job opportunities, before being defrauded.

“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.”

He added that many of the suspects were found without valid identification documents such as passports, while others claimed their documents had been confiscated by their employers, who are now reportedly 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,” said Simon Peter Mundeyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The suspects arrested in Kampala are nationals of several countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia.

In a separate operation conducted on April 27, immigration authorities in Adjumani District arrested 62 Nigerian nationals.

Officials said the group was operating without valid work permits and had been running church-related activities.
Of the 231 individuals arrested in total, 36 are women and the rest are men.

Preliminary screening suggests that some may have been trafficked into the country under false promises of employment, raising concerns of possible human trafficking networks.

Others are suspected of being directly involved in cyber-related criminal activities. All the suspects are currently being held at the immigration detention facility on Jinja Road in Kampala as verification and screening processes continue.

Authorities said those found to have violated immigration laws will face prosecution, fines and deportation, while cases involving trafficking or other serious offences will be referred to relevant law enforcement agencies for further action.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected illegal activities to immigration authorities or police as enforcement operations intensify. Mundeyi added that investigations are ongoing, particularly to track down alleged masterminds who remain at large.

-Observer

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