At least 780 litres of fuel were seized in Police operations against theft and illegal sale of petroleum products in Bugesera District. The fuel was seized in three separate operations in Rilima Sector, in which at least 10 people were arrested in connection with the act, Jean Bosco Dusabe, Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province, said. In the latest operation conducted on Sunday, Police arrested three people with eight jerrycans of diesel. In a similar operation conducted on September 20, Police arrested five people with 380 litres of diesel. Earlier on September 17, two people were apprehended with 240 litres of diesel. Dusabe said that the fuel had been stolen from a site in Rilima, where an airport is currently under construction. “The operations focused on two things; people who steal fuel at the airport construction site, and those running black markets, which is itself unlawful and punishable by law,” Dusabe said. Under normal circumstances, fuel is supposed to be only sold at authorised dealers, in most cases as petrol stations. “These are also operations to prevent disasters that may arise out of such dangerous businesses. With such inflammables sold at home, the risk of causing fire and killing persons is high,” he added. In last May, a house in Nyarugenge District in which petrol and diesel was being sold, caught fire killing two siblings. Similar operations conducted earlier this month in Muhima Sector of Nyarugenge District, led to the arrest of three men with 400 litres of diesel, which came about four months after Police also arrested two people who were running a fuel black market. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
