Rwanda : Mineral smugglers nabbed

Police in the Western district of Ngororero are holding Selemani Basomingera and Esperance Mukashema, residents of Gatumba sector who were allegedly nabbed while smuggling 21kg of Tromaline minerals. The pair is being held at Gatumba Police station.

In another development Claudine Uwamahoro was also arrested in Mururu sector, Rusizi District with 75 litres of Palm Oil. The oil was handed over to Rwanda Revenue Authority according to Police sources.

The Police have been running an anti-smuggling campaign around the country, but says that it can only be effective with the involvement of neighbouring countries which act as sources of such smuggled goods.

Reports indicate that most of the smuggled goods originate from neighboring countries like Congo and Burundi.

“The seizure of these items is the result of Police check points and patrols in different areas in collaboration with citizens, other security organs and community policing efforts through sharing of information,” says a statement by the Police.

“Rwanda is committed to fighting fraud, and we pledge collaboration to stop the cross-border smuggling. Most of the smuggled goods don’t match with Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) thus endangering the health of Rwandans.”

While smugglers apply different tactics to conduct illegal trade into and out of the country, Revenue Protection Unity within Rwanda National Police has equally deployed several strategies to deal with them.

The Police urge the public to desist from smuggling minerals to avoid serving punishments as stipulated in the penal code because illegal mining is strictly prohibited.

The revenue protection department’s efforts to stop smuggling across borders follows the implementation of mineral tagging scheme which made it easy to identify and detain untagged minerals as smugglers escape into the country.

The Government of Rwanda released strict regulations in March last year aimed at fighting smuggling of Minerals.

Article 9 stipulates that the fraudulent (untagged) minerals impounded by the security services or the Rwanda Revenue Authority will be handed to Geology and Mines Department.