South Sudanese man arrested at border with 700 bullets disguised as soap

Police in Lamwo District have arrested three people and recovered 700 rounds of live ammunition hidden beneath bars of soap in a box.

The arrests followed an intelligence-led operation in Madiopei Town Council on Sunday night.

Police said the operation began at about 8pm after security officers received information that a suspicious South Sudanese national had entered Uganda through Apiriti Border Post.

The Lamwo District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Reagan Magombe, said the intelligence was shared with the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces and officers at Madiopei Police Station.

Security personnel then mounted a checkpoint at Apiriti Border Post.

Police identified the main suspect as Edward Peter, 24, a South Sudanese boda boda rider from Tseretenya Village in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria State.

Peter reportedly told police that he had entered Uganda to buy a box of soap.

He later went to a garage owned by David Nokrach, a resident of Madiopei Town Council, where he collected the box before riding back towards the border.

Police stopped him at the checkpoint and searched the package.

Officers found a metallic ammunition box concealed beneath soap.

It contained 700 rounds of live 7.62x39mm ammunition.

The metallic box carried markings including “7.62 × 39 mm FMJ/SC”, “LOT# 13 20-19” and “SSNF 50 05/19”.

Police arrested Peter and returned with him to the garage, where they also detained Nokrach.

During preliminary questioning, Nokrach reportedly told investigators that the package had been given to him by Kidega Tabu, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer of Madiopei Town Council.

He allegedly said Tabu had asked him to pass the consignment to a mechanic identified as Lukuli in Ikotos.

Police later arrested Tabu.

Investigators say Lukuli had allegedly sent Peter to collect the package from Nokrach.

Police are still searching for Lukuli as they investigate his possible role in the movement of the ammunition.

A Bajaj motorcycle, registration number SSD 208AP, which Peter allegedly used, was also recovered.

Police said the ammunition and motorcycle had been secured as exhibits.

The case is being investigated at Lamwo Central Police Station under CRB 242/2026, in coordination with the UPDF 5th Division.

Investigators are now trying to establish where the bullets came from, where they were headed, how the consignment moved through the border area and whether more people were involved.