The Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), a Rwanda National Police arm attached to Rwanda Revenue Authority to fight fraud and smuggling, has intercepted a truck in Nyabihu District carrying about 60 boxes of Drostdy Hof wine smuggled into the country through a porous border.

The truck, registration number RAA 290I, was intercepted at about 1:00am on Tuesday at a roadblock in Mukamira Sector.

The liquor is believed to have been smuggled from neighbouring DR Congo.

Chief Supt. Sam Bugingo, the Commanding Officer of RPU, said the vehicle was tracked following information provided by members of the public in Rubavu, to a roadblock where it was impounded in Nyabihu.

The evaded taxes amounted at over Rwf2.5 million, according to CSP Bugingo.

"The driver of the truck, identified as Alexandre Mugenama, has since been taken into custody and the vehicle and goods impounded,” Chief Supt. Bugingo said.

Under the East African Community Customs Management Act, the driver of a vehicle intercepted in smuggling is liable to a fine of $5, 000 while the vehicle and the impounded goods must be auctioned.

"We received information from someone who was conversant with the fraud and acting on that relevant information, we traced the vehicle which was en route to Kigali and tracked it until it reached at the roadblock in Mukamira where it was stopped,” he added.

"Our strong cooperation with the people has played an integral part in fighting smuggling and fraud. We advise people to do their business in a legal way because, in one way or another, they will be known and appropriate action will be taken against them.”

Meanwhile, the driver of the truck told Police that the smuggled goods belonged to the owner of the vehicle, whom he identified as Emmanuel Tuyisenge.

"Investigations will determine are true.”

Chief Supt. Bugingo said, currently, liquors, cigarettes, banned bleaching lotions and Kitenge, an African print, are the most intercepted smuggled goods especially in the Western region.

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