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Rwanda National Police

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Crackdown on drug dealers: Two intercepted in separate Police operations

Two suspected drug dealers were intercepted on Monday with varied quantities of cannabis.

They were arrested in separate Police operations conducted in Ruhango and Musanze districts.

Police identified the suspects as Valens Mpayimana, 41, and Seraphine Nyiramana, 29, arrested in Ruhango and Musanze, respectively.

"Mpayimana, a resident of Kinazi Sector in Ruhango was intercepted in Mbuye sector, Mwendo cell also in Ruhango with 767 pellets of cannabis," Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson of Southern region, said.

"Mpayimana was a major supplier in Ruhango and Bugesera districts. Police is still searching for two other known individuals, including Mpayimana's major supplier only identified as Bosco, and their link called Emmanuel Kwitonda," said CIP Twajamahoro.

Kwitonda escaped the arrest at the scene where he had just delivered the 767 pellets of cannabis to Mpayimana.

The pellets had been sent to Mpayimana by Bosco

It is suspected that Bosco, one of the major drug dealers with links to other suppliers from Tanzania and Uganda through Gicumbi and Kirehe districts, supplies other dealers in Southern Province especially in Ruhango, Muhanga, Kamonyi and Nyanza.

Mpayimana is a former taxi-moto operator turned-drug dealer.

In a similar operation in Musanze, Nyiramana was arrested at her home in Gataraga Sector where Police recovered 189 pellets of cannabis.

Her accomplices and her husband, Emmanuel Hakizimana fled.

The couple, it is said, were buying the narcotics from another dealer in Burera.

Police commends the role of the public, who provide information on drug dealers and their chains.

Rwanda National Police has strengthened operations to break chains of supply and bring dealers to justice, and working with different stakeholders to raise awareness against the vice.

In article 263 of penal code, any person who, in any way, eats, drinks, injects himself/herself, inhales or one who anoints oneself with psychotropic substances, commits an offense, with imprisonment ranging between one and two years, or subject to a penalty of community service.   

Any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commits an offense. Upon conviction, he/she is liable to between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine between Rwf15 million and Rwf30 million.