Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), on Friday, September 16, seized 200kgs of used clothes from smugglers in Nyamagabe District.

The goods had been smuggled into Rwanda from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region.

He added that the clothes were recovered from six smugglers, who were intercepted in Bususuruke Village, Kagano Cell of Kitabi Sector following a tip-off from responsive residents.

?RPU received information from residents of Buhinga on the alleged smuggling after they became suspicious of the goods the six people were transporting in the bus," SP Kanamugire said.

RPU, he added, responded to the credible information, mounted a checkpoint in Bususuruke Village where the bus was stopped, searched and recovered 8 sacks of smuggled used clothes from six passengers weighing 200kgs, who were subsequently arrested.

The suspected smugglers disclosed that they got the goods from a supplier in Nyamasheke District, who sneaks them into Rwanda from DRC, through Lake Kivu.

The second-hand clothes, they added, they were also going to supply them to retailers in Gasarenda trading center in Tare Sector in Rulindo District.

SP Kanamugire commended the role of the general public in fighting smuggling and fraud through information sharing on smugglers.

Under the East African Community Management Act, which is applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods under article 199, are auctioned.

A vehicle intercepted with smuggled goods is also auctioned and the driver slapped a fine of US$5000.