Four people were arrested on Thursday, February 22, in Ngororero District in connection with illegal mining activities and related trade.
Police and local leaders caught the group at a home in Kanyana cell, Sovu sector where 1040kgs of beryl and 23kgs of lithium, were recovered.
“The suspects were found at the home of one of the major illegal mineral dealers. They were at the time weighing and packaging the minerals for transportation,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.
He thanked the local residents, who reported the illegal business, and called for further information on anyone engaged in such unlawful acts of mining and trade.
Article 54 of the law N? 58/2018 of 13/08/2018 on mining and quarry operations, states that; any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Frw1 million and not more than Frw5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
