English
Kinyarwanda
Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) have intercepted a trailer truck at Rusumo One Stop Border Post, transporting over 300 boxes of smuggled vehicle spare parts, lubricants, shoes and cosmetics.
The boxes, including banned skin bleaching lotions, had been covered with charcoal bags in an attempt evade taxes.
It was stopped shortly after take-off from the border after information emerged that it had other goods covered under charcoal bags.
The trailer was enroute from Tanzania, and the driver had declared to customs that he was carrying only charcoal bags.
Two people, including the driver and the alleged owner of the smuggled goods, have since been arrested.
Further investigations later recovered other big quantities of vehicle spare parts at the suspect's home in Kigali.
Jean Paulin Uwitonze, Assistant Commissioner in charge of Taxpayer Services and Communications Division at RRA, while addressing the media on Friday, November 29, in Kigali, said that the importer had evaded taxes amounting to Frw77 million.
He added that these are results of close collaboration with law enforcement agencies against smuggling and fraud, including over 2 tonnes of smuggled second-hand clothes, which were auctioned recently.
The Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Boniface Rutikanga, said that one of the responsibilities of the force is to detect, prevent and fight anything that is against the law, affects the national economy and the wellbeing of Rwandans, including smuggling, a reason why the Revenue Protection Unit was created.
"We all thrive on the economy of the country, which can be affected by such fraudulent businesses. These operations are meant to protect legal businesses, protect Rwandans from substandard and harmful products, which can be brought into the country through such unlawful means," ACP Rutikanga said.
He added that individuals engaged in smuggling and fraud are the same people, who sometimes attempt to de-campaign the national policy on the use of EBM.
"There are some people, who want to thrive on such fraudulent businesses and when they are identified, they try to use the media; they will not succeed. We also urge the media to background checks not to be used by such people," he added.
He cautioned that attempts to use such shortcuts to get rich can lead to business downfall.
Dr. Thierry Murangira, the spokesperson for Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) said that the dossier for the two suspects has been transferred to prosecution.
"Smuggling and fraud carry severe penalties, including a prison sentence of five years and a fine of 50 percent of the total value of the smuggled goods, or one of these penalties," Dr. Murangira said.
The vehicle spare parts are among smuggled goods at the RRA stores in Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro, Gasabo District, seized over the past few months, mainly wines and spirits, and second-hand clothes.
Meanwhile, Uwitonze said that RRA conducts stock analysis in businesses.
"It is through stock analysis that we discover smuggled liquors, forged tax stamps, and tax seals traders taken from cheaper liquors to expensive ones so as to evade taxes," Uwitonze said.
