Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Revenue Protection Unit (RPU) have seized various goods in Rusizi District that had been smuggled into the country through porous borders.

The goods that include clothes, shoes and alcoholic beverages were seized during operations conducted in Bugarama Sector on July 2, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.

“The smuggled goods were seized from three people identified as Jeanne Tuyishime, Donatha Uwizeyimana and Eric Ntakirutimana, who were also taken into custody,” CIP Gasasira said.

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 successful operations were based on credible information from the people; out of suspicion after seeing Ntakirutimana and Tuyishime sneaking in their homes in awe hours with luggage, they called the Police, and indeed when officers searched their houses they recovered bales of clothes and shoes,” the spokesperson said.

“We have arrested a number of smugglers in the recent past including those attempting to smuggle secondhand clothes, and almost all these successful operations are based on credible information we receive from the public,” CIP Gasasira noted.

Donatha Uwizeyimana, on the other hand, was arrested with smuggled Amstel Bock.

Under article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also used in Rwanda, specifies a penalty of US$5000 to a driver found driving a vehicle with smuggled goods while the vehicle and goods are auctioned.

CIP Gasasira commended the vigilance of the residents, and called for “continued partnership through information sharing on anything suspicious, illegal or criminal.”