Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said that the operations conducted on Friday, December 9, followed complaints by some truck drivers in Magerwa, about people, who steal fuel from their trucks.

"There was information about people, who siphon and steal fuel from trucks in Magerwa parking lots, and selling it on black market. Operations were conducted on Friday when 820 litres of fuel (800 litres of diesel and 20 litres of gasoline) were recovered from various houses in Gikondo and Gatenga sectors.

Dealers closed their houses where petroleum products are stored, when they heard of operations, which forced security organs and local leaders to open them to seize the fuels," CIP Twajamahoro said.

Also seized from houses are 200 empty jerrycans and three drums, the containers that dealers were using.

It is alleged the people selling fuel on the black market also work with some truck drivers to siphon fuel from their tanks.

This operation followed another conducted early this week in Muhima Sector of Nyarugenge District where one man was arrested with 3120 litres of diesel in his house.

CIP Twajamahoro warned against such unlawful but very dangerous business, which can easily ignite fire leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.

Article 6 of Law No 85/2013 of 11/9/2013 regulating petroleum and petroleum products trade in Rwanda provides that; any person, who shall perform any type of petroleum and petroleum products trade shall have a license from the competent Authority.

In article 22, the petroleum and petroleum products stores and other places exclusively reserved for the parking of petroleum and petroleum products tankers shall be determined by the competent authority.