Police in Kampala Metropolitan South have recovered 44 motorcycles and arrested 13 suspects in a major intelligence-led operation targeting motorcycle robbery syndicates believed to be operating within the greater Kampala area.
The operation, conducted on June 17, 2026, at around 5:00 p.m., was carried out at Nakati Garage and Washing Bay in Nakati Zone, Nabbingo Ward, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Rachael Kawala, the raid followed intelligence reports that the garage was being used to dismantle suspected stolen motorcycles, reassemble them, alter their branding and fit them with forged number plates before returning them to the market.
Acting on the tip-off, police officers mounted an operation and searched the premises, uncovering what investigators suspect to be a well-organized motorcycle theft and rebranding racket.
During the operation, police recovered 44 motorcycles alongside a large cache of motorcycle parts. The recovered items included eight motorcycles stripped of engines, fuel tanks and seats, seven skeletal motorcycle frames, five metallic motorcycle parts, six motorcycle engines, ten exhaust pipes, four number plates and several other assorted motorcycle components.
Among the motorcycles recovered were those bearing registration numbers UDM 696K, UMA 475JN, UDZ 213V, UMA 187JW, UFZ 077U, UFQ 548Q, UGH 315T, UFH 337U, UER 698X, UMA 516KK, UFJ 792L, UGD 654S, UGH 318Q, UGC 539Z, UMA 246C, UFE 772R, UEP 161D, UDP 278V, UDX 573B, UEQ 707Q, UDP 359S, UDK 481Q, UDH 526X, UDS 026S, UES 711U, UEB 633D, UDN 954M, UGG 848P, UEJ 400T and UMA 511HA.
The 13 suspects arrested during the operation are currently being held in police custody as investigations continue.
Police said efforts are underway to identify and trace the rightful owners of the recovered motorcycles. Authorities are also hunting for the owner of the garage, who remains at large.
The latest bust highlights the growing challenge of motorcycle theft in Kampala and surrounding districts, where stolen motorcycles are often dismantled, modified and resold to unsuspecting buyers.
SP Kawala urged members of the public who may have lost motorcycles matching any of the recovered registration numbers to report to the nearest police station or Kampala Metropolitan South Police for verification and possible recovery.
“We urge members of the public who may have lost motorcycles matching any of the listed registration numbers to contact the nearest police station or Kampala Metropolitan South Police for verification and assistance,” Kawala said.
Investigations into the suspected motorcycle theft network are ongoing, with police expected to make further arrests as the probe expands.
