Police in Nyagatare district is holding three suspects identified as Jean Baptiste Lumumba 42, Joseph Bizimungu Rwabukamba 30, and Jimmy Bahorana in connection with trafficking Umushikiri tree stumps to Uganda.
The suspects currently held at Nyagatare Police station were seized on Sunday with over 5tones of the tree stumps.
Umushikiri tree stumps are used for production of movit creams and perfumes. The traffickers said that the cost of one kilo of Umushikiri is equivalent to Frw 200 in Rwanda but the price more than triples in Uganda where a kilo goes for Frw 700.
The theft of Umushiriki tree stumps is allegedly common in Nyagatare, Gatsibo and Kayonza districts.
Superintendent Edward Kayitare, the Nyagatare district Police commander urged the public to practice environmental conservational techniques like forestation and protection of wetlands.
The lucrative yet risky business contravenes environmental laws that protect the encroachment and destruction of both natural and artificial environment.
It goes with destruction of bio diversity that attracts tourism, researchers and green covers that facilitate in the formation of rainfall.
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