Rwanda National Police

The Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), Thursday, intercepted assorted goods at various border points that were being smuggled into the country.

Senior Supt. Alphonse Businge, the Commanding Officer for RPU, said that the intercepted goods include liquors, foodstuff, clothes, shoes, electric cables and soft drinks, among others.

They had evaded combined taxes amounting to Rwf2.2 million, SSP Businge said.

“They were intercepted at our static points in Rusizi, Karongi, Gatuna, and Kagitumba, and in the City of Kigali,” the Commanding Officer said.

“In most cases our targeted operations are informed by the information we get from our informers—the general public—but we also work with other institutions like RIB (Rwanda Investigations Bureau),” he said.

He also disclosed that they have unearthed other tricks used by smugglers.

“Some motorists reconstruct their vehicles especially under the seats and trunk where goods especially liquors are concealed. Actually on the same day (Thursday), our partner RIB handed to us two vehicles which they intercepted with combined 252 bottles of Champagne Veuve Vliquot, Glenivet, Grand Mannier and Hennessy,” SSP Businge said.

He said that this is the second time vehicles are caught with liquors hidden in the manner. “These tricks are easily detected because the general public understands the side-effects of evading taxes. When you don’t pay taxes you will be embezzling their money because they are the people who pay taxes through you when they buy your goods.”

He called for continued information sharing against fraud and smuggling.