Rwanda National Police

Two people said to be part of the same drug trafficking ring have been arrested in separate Police operations conducted in Rubavu and Nyarugenge districts.

Police also recovered over 125kgs and 1230 rolls of cannabis from the traffickers during the operations conducted Thursday.

The Police spokesperson for the Western region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, said the suspects and the narcotics were intercepted in the “coordinated targeted operations conducted by the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Units (ANU) and Police stations.”

“As part of the deliberate move to break chains of supply, on April 25, ANU reinforced the District Police Unit of Rubavu to track down and arrest individuals whose particulars are known as drug traffickers, and whose movements were being trailed from Kigali, where they mainly supply,” CIP Gasasira said.

“It is in that spirit that one drug trafficker identified as Charlene Bazihira was tracked and arrested in Gasutamo Village, Mbugangali Cell in Gisenyi Sector in Rubavu at about 1:30pm, she had just crossed into Rwanda with 1230 pellets of cannabis from the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he added.

The 19-year old Bazihira is said to have been working on behalf of one Evelyne Uwineza operating her criminal business in the City of Kigali.

Uwineza was also arrested later in Nyarugenge District, Kimisagara Sector, Matabaro Cell in Buhoro Village where she runs her narcotics business.

“In another operation also conducted in Rubavu Sector where 10 bales of cannabis weighing over 125kgs of cannabis, although owners managed to escape the arrest; they are known and they will be traced to face the wrath of the law,” Gasasira said.

“Rubavu is well known as one of the major trafficking routes due to its strategic position, but we have strengthened operations coupled with education campaigns to prevent users and to forge strong working relation with the people on information sharing against dealers, which is a strong tool in breaking chains of supply,” the spokesperson said.