525 Passports Seized in Soroti as Police Intensify Crackdown on Suspected Document Syndicate Soroti City

 

Soroti City — A large-scale security operation in Eastern Uganda has led to the recovery of 525 Ugandan passports, in what authorities describe as a breakthrough in dismantling a suspected illegal travel document network.

The latest operation by East Kyoga Regional Police resulted in the seizure of 264 additional passports on Monday, following an earlier Sunday recovery of 261 passports in Soroti City East Division.

Three suspects are now in police custody. One was arrested during the initial operation, while two others were picked up following fresh intelligence developments.

Suspected Organized Operation

Preliminary investigations suggest the passports may have been collected systematically, pointing to a possible coordinated scheme. Authorities are probing whether the documents were intended for illegal migration processing, fraudulent visa applications, or trafficking-related activities.

Police sources indicate that detectives are carefully cataloguing each passport to determine ownership and establish whether the holders willingly surrendered the documents or were misled.

Under Ugandan law, passports remain the property of the Government of Uganda and must not be transferred, stored, or held by unauthorized individuals or entities.

Public Advisory Issued

Security officials have warned the public against entrusting passports to middlemen or recruitment agents who lack proper licensing from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and other relevant authorities.

In recent years, Uganda has faced rising reports of fraudulent external labor recruitment schemes, where unsuspecting citizens surrender passports with promises of employment abroad.

Authorities say the scale of the Soroti recovery suggests the possibility of a broader network operating beyond the city.

Next Steps

Police say forensic review and background checks are underway, and additional arrests are likely as investigations deepen.

The suspects are expected to be formally charged once investigations are complete.

Security agencies have reassured the public that safeguarding national travel documents remains a top priority and that efforts to dismantle illegal syndicates will continue across the region.

The investigation remains active.