Six people, five of them women, have been arrested in Nyabihu District in a crackdown on smuggling and fraud.

Supt. Alex Fata, the District Police Commander of Nyabihu, said the suspected smugglers were arrested in two separate "targeted police operations” on Tuesday in Mukamira Sector.

He identified the suspects as Viviane Mukamurenzi and Halima Mushimiyimana, who were arrested in Gisenyi Village of Jaba Cell, Mukamira Sector; and Christine Nyirankundumukiza, Ismael Havugimana, Asha Umutesi and Amina Uwamahoro, who were intercepted at a police checkpoint in Rugeshi Cell, Mukamira Sector.

"In both operations, we had received information from passengers in public vehicles they were traveling in, that’s how we were able to know their identities and what they were carrying with them,” said Supt. Fata.

Mukamurenzi and Mushimiyimana, who are said to have crossed into Rwanda from the DR Congo through an illegal border post in Rubavu, were found in possession of 460 pieces of Diprossor and 170 pieces of Epiderm Crème, both banned bleaching lotion in Rwanda; 22 bottles of Wild Wolf Plus beer; and 154 pieces of Salsa, a tomato paste.

The other four, who are said to have been traveling from Uganda, were found with jerrycans of cooking oil, 78 bottles of Novida, a non-alcoholic drink and clothes.

"When we got information on the case of those who were smuggling goods from Uganda, we stopped the vehicle at a roadblock we had erected but we found they had already off-loaded the goods and hid them, but during interrogation, they admitted to the offence and guided police officers to a bar where the products were recovered,” the DPC said.

He added: "Since Nyabihu serves as a strategic route for smugglers and drug traffickers from either Uganda or DR Congo, we have intensified awareness and operations with support from the public, we conduct snap checks, targeted operations as well as cordon and search,” he noted.

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