Rwanda National Police

Police in Burera District have seized about 200 dozens (24,000 pieces) of banned non-biodegradable plastic bags and arrested four women that were sneaking them into the country.

Police identified the arrested women as Liberatha Mukanduyiye who was carrying 32 dozens; Francoise Uwamahoro with 40 dozens; Felicite Nyirasafari had 70 dozens; while Julienne Imanizibayo was smuggling 80 dozens.

According to the Northern Region Police Spokesperson, Inspector of Police (IP) Innocent Gasasira, the suspects were at the time traveling in a public bus along Burera-Musanze road. 

“One of the passengers noticed that the women were acting strange and became suspicious of their luggage, before notifying the police,” IP Gasasira said.

“A checkpoint was put up in Gahunga Sector and waited for the bus, and indeed when the bus was stopped and checked officers found the non biodegradable bags belonging to the for women,” said the spokesperson.

 “After their arrest, we found out that the four women were actually on the watchlist of people suspected to be trafficking banned substances and plastic bags into the country,” he explained.

He noted that “Although plastic bags are not a big issue, border districts are prone to smugglers because of its strategic location, especially through porous borders. The fight against the sell and use of plastic bags is part of our usual operations.”

“Fighting sell and use of plastic bags is a national policy that we implement jointly with other charged institutions like Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA) and even the people, who are the source of information.”

According to the law, any individual who sells the banned bags faces a penalty of between Rwf10, 000 and Rwf300,000 while buyers are fined between Rwf5,000 and Rwf100,000.

The non-biodegradable polythene bags have been outlawed in the country since 2008.Most plastic bags are said to be sold or used in remote shops, bakeries, and butcheries.

According to the law, factories found using banned plastic bags are fined between Rwf100, 000 and Rwf500, 000 and jail term of between two and six months, or one of these penalties.