Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), on Saturday, March 11, intercepted a truck in Nyarusange Sector, Muhanga District which was transporting 12 bales of smuggled second-hand clothes.

The truck, plate number RAE 724Y, was intercepted in Rwambariro village, Rusovu cell en-route to Kigali from Rusizi District.

The driver was arrested and the vehicle impounded to Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) branch in Muhanga.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Habiyaremye, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the second-hand clothes were sneaked into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"The RPU had mounted a checkpoint in Rwambariro where the truck was stopped at about 8p.m, searched and recovered 12 bales of smuggled second-hand, which the driver was delivering to a client in Kigali," CIP Habiyaremye said.

The driver said that he was paid Frw200,000 by a trader in Rusizi to deliver the bales to his client in Kigali, with a balance of Frw100,000 to be paid after successfully delivering the clothes.

"The alleged smugglers and suppliers and of the bales of clothes will also be arrested over fraud and smuggling," CIP Habiyaremye said.

By law, a vehicle impounded over smuggling as well as smuggled goods, are auctioned and the driver slapped a fine of US$5000.

Article 87 of the law on tax procedures provides an imprisonment of between 2 and 5 years, for tax evasion.

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