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Kinyarwanda
As operations against drug trafficking rages on, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotic Unit (ANU), on Friday, February 19, arrested three people in Rubavu District with 13,000 pellets of cannabis concealed in three bundles.
The suspects, who were intercepted in Gacurabwenge Cell of Busasamana Sector, are identified as Cyprien Sebifumbo alias Zakayo, Valens Muhire and one only identified as Rukinga.
Their arrest came a day after another major cannabis supplier was intercepted in Nyamasheke District with three sacks weighing 80kgs.
The operations are part of the ongoing crackdown on major drug dealers to break chains of supply with scores so far arrested especially in the Western Province, which is mapped as a major transit route for traffickers from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonavanture Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that Sebifumbo and Rukinga were at the time transporting 10000 pellets of cannabis while Muhire had a bundle of 3000 pellets.
They had just trafficked the narcotics into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
CIP Karekezi explained that ANU had prior information that these three men were part of the drug trafficking chain and had brought new quantities.
"Police officers attached to ANU first arrested Muhire at his home where a bundle containing 3000 pellets was recovered. Muhire led the officers to another house in the same village of Nyarubuye where Sebifumbo and Rukinga were arrested with other two bundles with combined 10000 pellets of cannabis," CIP Karekezi said.
He added: "These three were just transporters hired by two separate dealers in Rubavu and Musanze districts to bring the narcotics from the main supplier in DRC.
Muhire was to be paid Frw60, 000 after delivering the narcotics to the local dealer in Kanzenze Sector, Rubavu District while Sebifumbo and Rukinga were to be paid Frw100, 000 after delivering the bundles of narcotics to another dealer in Musanze District."
The suspects also disclosed that they got the narcotics from a major supplier in DRC called Mama Thoma.
The spokesperson warned that there is a list of suspected drug dealers compiled with the help of the public, who are being trailed to bring them to justice.
"The two dealers in Musanze and Rubavu, who had hired these three men to traffic the narcotics from DRC, are known and are being searched to face the wrath of the law."
He commended the role of the public in the fight against one of the high impact crimes, through information sharing.
CIP Karekezi called for further information sharing on other suspected drug dealers to facilitated the ongoing operations against the vice which affects mainly the young people, the majority abusers.
