Nine people have been arrested in a police operation to recover stolen motorcycles. Five motorcycle taxis (Taxi-moto)stolen in the past one month were recovered.

Those arrested are said to be part of a gang that has been stealing Taxi-motos at night in several parts of the country.

According to police officers handling the case, two of the suspects were arrested at Gasenyi border in Bugesera District as they tried to cross to Burundi where they allegedly intended to get prospective buyers. The other seven were arrested in various parts of Kigali.

According to police reports, the suspects used to break into houses, mount roadblocks or throw red pepper into the eyes of the Taxi-moto operators after posing as passengers.

Police Spokesperson, Supt. Eric Kayiranga, confirmed the arrest saying that the operation is still ongoing in all parts of the country.

"It is a network of people dealing in the business of robbing motorcycles, But with the arrest of part of the ring, the network has been dismantled,” he said.

The stolen motorcycles are in most cases taken to Burundi where it is said, are on high demand. Police from the two countries are also working hand-in-hand to apprehend a Burundian businessman who is said to be the main buyer of the motorcycles stolen in Rwanda.

"We got information that most of the stolen motorcycles are bought by one person in Burundi who has made it a business. We are currently working hand-in-hand with our counterparts in Burundi to arrest this man,” a source in the police who preferred not to be named said.

In separate developments, four other people have also been arrested in Kigali on charges of counterfeiting of driving licences, national IDs and academic transcripts, among others.

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