Rwanda National Police

Police in Rusizi District impounded 250 rolls of electric cables and three cartons of Jameson that were being smuggled into the country.

The cables, which were concealed in seven sacks as well as the liquors, were intercepted on Sunday, October 11, from six suspected smugglers in Kamarebe Village, Gahinga Cell of Mururu Sector. 

They were being sneaked into the country from DR Congo, through River Rusizi, and the smugglers ascaped arrest towards the same direction, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.

"At around 1pm on Sunday, based on credible information from an informed resident, the District Police Unit (DPU) of Rusizi and Border Security Unit (BSU) worked together to trace the suspected smugglers," said CIP Karekezi.

The ring of smugglers involved Rwandans and Congolese.

"A group of Congolese brought the goods through River Rusizi and handed them over to six Rwandans in Gahinga, Mururu Sector. 

However, during the process, the six Rwandans, after noticing the Police, abandoned the goods and ran towards the waters. The seized goods were handed over to the Revenue Protection Unit at Rusizi border post," CIP Karekezi explained.

It is said that the six Rwandans had been just hired to transport the goods to a yet to be known destination.

"Police and other relevant authorities are working together to identify the owner of the goods, to face the law," he said.

Liquors, second-hand clothes and shoes, food flavours, powdered milk and electric appliances are among the goods that are seized from smugglers in the districts bordering DR Congo, especially in Rubavu and Rusizi.