# Uganda Rounds Up 231 Foreign Nationals in Sweeping Anti-Trafficking Operation
*April 29, 2026 — Kampala*
Ugandan security forces have detained 231 foreign nationals across multiple locations in a major crackdown on suspected human trafficking and irregular migration networks, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The operation, jointly coordinated between the Uganda Police Force and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), targeted suspected smuggling rings operating in and around Kampala and the eastern district of Amuria. Among those detained are nationals from Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and South Sudan, alongside smaller numbers of Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals.
Security officials say the sweep began in the early hours of Tuesday morning following intelligence reports that irregular migrants were being harbored in informal settlements and charged thousands of dollars for passage toward Europe via Libya and Morocco. The networks, according to police, had been operating for at least 18 months and had developed sophisticated routing systems to move people across borders undetected.
“We have been tracking these networks for months,” said a police spokesperson. “Those arrested are currently being screened. Anyone found to be in violation of Uganda’s immigration laws will face the full extent of the law. But equally, any individual identified as a trafficking victim will be immediately transferred to our protection protocols.”
Human rights organisations have urged the government to ensure due process is followed during the screening, warning that broad roundups of foreign nationals carry risks of abuse. The UN migration agency, IOM, said it was in contact with Ugandan authorities and stood ready to assist any individuals identified as trafficking victims.
Uganda has in recent years become both an origin point and a transit country for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean. The country’s relatively stable domestic environment and porous borders have made it an attractive waypoint for smuggling networks. Many of those intercepted are people from the Great Lakes region who have exhausted options closer to home and are willing to risk dangerous desert and sea crossings.
The operation is one of the largest immigration-related sweeps in Uganda’s recent history. Prosecutions are expected to follow once the screening process is complete. Authorities have not ruled out additional arrests as investigations continue.
For now, all 231 individuals remain in secure facilities pending processing — a process aid workers warn could take weeks and will test Uganda’s capacity to handle mass migration cases humanely.
*Featured image: African Union Mission in Somalia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0*