Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti- Narcotics Unit (ANU), on Sunday, apprehended 12 people in Rubavu and Nyabihu districts, who are suspected to be members of a drug trafficking network.

The crackdown is part of the ongoing efforts to break the drug trafficking network and supply chain.

Eleven suspects were arrested in Byahi Cell, Rubavu Sector. One of them identified as Esperance Ingabire was arrested in Buheru trading centre with 700 pellets of cannabis.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that the suspects were at the time also found smoking cannabis.

“ANU responded to information about a group of drug dealers and abusers in Rubavu and arrested 10 men, who were at the time smoking cannabis; they disclosed that Ingabire and other two other women are their suppliers,” CIP Kayigi said.

“Police officers tracked Ingabire in Buheru trading centre, where she operates her criminal business. She was found in possession of 700 pellets of cannabis. Two other women are still on the run but they will also be tracked down to face the law,” he added.

“Buheru is on the borderline and some drug traffickers use this area as their stores, so the ongoing operations also target houses used as stores, owners and drug traffickers.

The general public is at the top of this fight through information sharing,” the spokesperson explained.

Meanwhile, another drug dealer identified as Jean Bosco Sebitabi was arrested in Karago Sector of Nyabihu District, with over 1000 pellets of cannabis.

Sebitabi had wrapped the pellets around his waist as he crossed into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CIP Kayigi said that Police continues to sensitize communities residing on borderlines on the dangers of trafficking and abusing narcotics, criminal repercussions and their community policing role in breaking chains of supply.

Under article 263 of the penal code, any person who, in any way, eats, drinks, injects himself/herself, inhales or one who anoints oneself with psychotropic substances, commits an offence, punishable by an imprisonment term between one and two years or subjected to a penalty of community service.   

The same article also provides a sentence of imprisonment between 20 years and life in prison for anyone convicted of producing, transforming, transporting, storing and selling narcotic drugs