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Kinyarwanda
The Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), a Rwanda National Police unit attached to Rwanda Revenue Authority to fight fraud and smuggling, has seized 296 bottles of Amstel beer that were being smuggled into the country in an operation conduced on July 27.
According to Bugesera District Police Commander (DPC) Superintendent of Police (SP) Albert Mpumuro the seized items included Amstel beer and Amstel Bock and are suspected to have been smuggled from Burundi.
“Following information from residents, we worked with RPU, mounted a checkpoint and seized the mentioned bottles of beer. We impounded a minibus with plate number RAB418N that was carrying the alcohol and arrested the driver, Athanase Biziyaremye,” said SP Mpumuro.
He went on to thank residents who provided information and warned smugglers that Police is always on alert to counter anyone who tries to evade taxes.
The seized beer bottles and the vehicle are impounded at RPU Nemba offices.
Under the East African Community Customs Management Act, the driver of the vehicle intercepted in smuggling is fined US$5, 000 while the vehicle and the impounded goods are auctioned.
Article 369 of the penal code states that anyone found guilty of tax evasion shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of between three and six months and a fine equal to the evaded tax.
Information from RPU indicated that currently, liquors, cigarettes, banned bleaching lotions and Kitenge, a traditional wear, are the most intercepted smuggled goods especially in the Western region.
