Police seized a truck in Ntarabana Sector, Rulindo District, containing 500 kilograms of beef and pork last week and arrested five people transporting unchecked beef to Kigali City.
Police seized a truck in Ntarabana Sector, Rulindo District, containing 500 kilograms of beef and pork last week and arrested five people transporting unchecked beef to Kigali City.
Those arrested were allegedly trying to sneak in the meat, contravening standards and regulations set by the Ministry of Agriculture on the transportation of meat.
After a thorough check, 256 packets of "mairungi” were also discovered in the truck.
"When our operatives asked for documents provided by a veterinary officer, the truck owners did not have them; when they asked who the owner of the meat was, they could not tell, so we suspect that they might have stolen the meat or that the slaughtered animals were sick,” Theos Badege, the Police Spokesman told The New Times.
"In this festive period, we are extra cautious; we are working with local leaders to ensure that nothing harmful is sold to people. Butcheries are all supposed to sell meat after a veterinary officer has confirmed that the animal was healthy and that the circumstances in which it was slaughtered were acceptable.”
Badege said Rulindo District was barred from trading in pork until further notice after suffering bouts of swine flu in 2009.
Bruno Rangira, the Director of Communications of Kigali City Council, said the city management, together with the Rwanda Agricultural Board, increased inspections of butcheries and meat markets to ensure that customers are not affected in the festive season.