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Kinyarwanda
Two people were arrested in Nyagatare District on Wednesday in connection of smuggling clothes into the country.
A commercial motorcyclist and a cyclist were arrested separately in Mimuli and Rukoma sectors, respectively.
They had used illegal borders to sneak bales of clothes, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province, said.
“Residents in the two areas called the Police reporting a motorcyclist and a cyclist who were using an illegal border from the neighbouring Uganda carrying luggage they suspected to be illegal, and when officers apprehended them they found they were carrying clothes,” CIP Kanamugire said.
“We have identified that the two suspects had been hired by the rightful owners of the clothes, who have also been identified,” he added.
He thanked the residents for “exercising their community policing rights” but advised those involved in criminal and illegal activities including smuggling to find other legal activities to do warning that “operations with the support of the people will continue.”
Article 369 of the Penal Code states that a taxpayer guilty of tax evasion shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of between three to six months and a fine equal to the evaded tax.
The law also doesn’t spare anyone hired to transport the smuggled goods as it provides a penalty of US$5000, if caught while smuggled goods as well as what was used to transport—be it a vehicle, motorcycle or bicycle—are auctioned.
