English
Kinyarwanda
Rwanda National Police (RNP) in Bugesera District foiled an attempt to smuggle 20 crates of alcohol and arrested two suspects who were involved in the plot.
Acting on a tip-off from concerned residents, police on June 3 intercepted Germaine Barakagwira and his driver Ramadan Nyandwi in Nyamata Sector, while on their way to Kigali with 20 crates of untaxed beer brands.
The alcohol was seized and the the suspects are currently held at Nyamata Police Station as investigations commence.
The Police Spokesperson for Eastern Province, Inspector Emmanuel Kayigi, noted that RNP is at the helm of fighting economic crimes including tax evasion and smuggling, which are detrimental to the economy and sabotage legitimate trade.
“RNP constantly conducts awareness campaigns against such economic crimes and partners with the business community and concerned institutions to ensure that smuggling of any sort is not tolerated. Many operations have been successful in limiting this crime and many of those involved have been arrested,” he said.
“Let us continue working together through community policing and ensure smuggling of alcoholic beverages is checked in time.”
He added that on top of cheating legitimate business, those who evade tax by smuggling goods into the economy usually have unverified products that could be harmful to those who consume them.
“Smuggling undermines the growth of the local industry and discourages legal imports of verified goods, on top of cheating the country of its valued revenue. We can therefore overcome it through strong collaboration and partnership that is built around the provision of timely information whenever there is suspicion of such acts,” he concluded.
