Rwanda National Police

Police in Rubavu District, on Monday, September 28, seized 722 kilogrammes of smuggled Tourmaline minerals from a suspected smuggler's home in Gasutamo Village, Mbugangali Cell of Gisenyi Sector.

The suspected smuggler, 27-year old Beatrice Mukanoheri, according to the Police spokesperson of the Western region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, is the manager of a registered Amkaba LTD, a mineral trading partner with Paco Gem Gold Stone Business Company based in DR Congo.

Tourmaline is a gemstone compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. It is arguably earth’s most colorful mineral, and is mainly used to make jewelry. 

CIP Karekezi explained that on late evening of Sunday 27, a community policing partner, who was sure the minerals would be smuggled from the DR Congo that night, informed the Police on the alleged fraud.

“Our informant told us that between 7,000 and 8,000 kilogrammes of minerals would be sneaked into the country from DRC by Mukanoheri, through a porous border point, so we deployed surveillance around her house where, according to credible information, the minerals would be taken," CIP Karekezi said.

"At around 5am on Monday, Police searched the same suspected house of Mukanoheri, where 12 sacks of Tourmaline minerals weighing 722kgs were recovered and Mukanoheri taken into custody for the alleged fraud," he added.

According to Mukanoheri, she had on September 19, paid Rwf1.7 million in taxes for other 1.9 tonnes of minerals.

This time around, she admitted that she was trying to dogde more taxes of around Rwf700,000 for the 722kgs of Tourmaline.

The suspect and the exhibits were handed over to Revenue Protection Unit (RPU) for the next legal steps.

CIP Karekezi commended the partnership of the residents in fighting such illegalities, and also advised others who are still involved in smuggling goods in or out of Rwanda to stop it because the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with them.

“We urged people to comply with the law and go through appropriate channels to trade in minerals. Smuggling and tax evasion are punishable by law, let alone passing through porous borders,” CIP Karekezi.

He added that people should also consider the government’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and follow the directives to prevent a potential spread of the virus, now that even the borders are closed.

Article 3 of the ministerial regulations on fighting smuggling in mineral trading, forbids “importation of minerals into Rwanda without proper documents indicating their origin and the weight at origin, given by the right authorities.”

These minerals have to be with required trade documents, and to be certified and tagged by competent authorities.

Again, article 4 provides that transportation of minerals outside mining licensed areas—concessions and permits perimeters—is only allowed, when the consignment shows the source mine, its value and when it has the right tag.

Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a license commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.   

The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.