The Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime department arrested two people in Rubavu District with 1615 pieces of assorted skin bleaching cosmetics locally known as mukorogo.
One of the suspects was on the list of major traffickers of the outlawed skin whitening oils and creams, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region.
The second suspect, a woman, he added, had turned her house located in Mushoko Village, Rwaza Cell, in Rugerero Sector; into a store for the illegal cosmetics smuggled into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through porous borders.
“The anti-smuggling unit in Rubavu had credible information on the house in Rugerero used by a major supplier of bleaching products, which he sneaked into the country from DRC. The owner of the house was arrested at the scene and the ringleader was traced and taken into custody shortly after,” SP Karekezi said.
He added that these are some of the operations aimed at breaking chains of supply.
Last year in June, a man suspected of being part of the group that trafficked the outlawed skin bleaching cosmetics was also arrested in the City of Kigali, Nyarugenge District.
Article 266 of the law determining offenses and penalties in general, states that any person, who produces, sells, or prescribes harmful products; cosmetics or body hygiene substance or any other products derived from plants, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million or one of these penalties. (End)