Rwanda National Police have arrested 18 people suspected to be part of a ring responsible for mineral theft in different parts of the country.

The Police made the arrests on Monday, April 1, after the discovery of 239kg of cassiterite (a mineral also known as tin), which were stored in two houses in Kigarama Sector in Kicukiro District.

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The minerals had been extracted from mines in Rulindo, Muhanga and Gakenke districts before they were transported to Kigali. The police said in a statement on Wednesday that officers had been tipped off by residents of Kigarama about the unlawful operations in the two houses.

"One house was being used to filter cassiterite from sand while the other was used as a store for the cleaned and smuggled cassiterite minerals,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson in the City of Kigali.

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"All the 18 suspects, who are members of the same ring, were arrested at the scene where Police also seized assorted tools that they were using.”

Among those arrested are the owners of the houses and their partners.

The Police had on Saturday busted underground tunnels in two residential houses in Rulindo that were used by illegal miners. A recent nationwide operation by the police has led to the arrest of about 50 people, including suspected thieves and illegal mineral traders.

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Similar operations conducted last week in Rulindo and Rwamagana districts led to the arrest of 48 people suspected of stealing and illegally buying minerals from Rutongo and Musha mining concessions.

The arrested suspects face a prison sentence of two to six months and a fine of one million to five million.