Karanganwa was arrested at her retail shop where the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime department recovered 121 pieces of assorted skin whitening products, commonly known as mukorogo.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said that Karanganwa was suspected to be working with those who traffic and sell skin bleaching cosmetics.

"On Monday, the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime department got information that Karanganwa had received a new consignment of the banned skin bleaching cosmetics from one of her suppliers. Police officers searched her shop in Downtown where 121 pieces of skin whitening creams were recovered, leading to her arrest," CIP Twajamahoro said.

Karanganwa said that her suppliers sneak them into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through porous borders.

The search for her suppliers is still underway.

Karanganwa is one of the many traffickers and sellers of the outlawed skin whitening creams and oils, who have been arrested in different RNP operations across the country.

There are 1,342 listed cream and oil brands with hydroquinone and mercury, which are prohibited in Rwanda.

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 Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million or one of these penalties.