Rwanda National Police

Contrabands in various brands that were being trafficked into the country were seized in a police operations conducted in Burera District on Tuesday.

The seized banned gin include 64 dozens of Blue Sky, 48 cartons of Chase waragi, 24 combined dozens of chief, hot and Africa waragi as well as boxes of coffee spirit and jerrycans of crude gin commonly known as Kanyanga.

They were intercepted in an operation conducted in Kanyabaranzi Village, Nyagahunga Cell in Cyanika Sector, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said.

“Normally traffickers use illegal borders to sneak these contrabands and other narcotic drugs into the country. So, on Tuesday at about 10:30am, based on credible information about a group of people that was carrying these contrabands from Uganda, an operation was conducted and they were intercepted shortly after they crossed into Rwanda,” CIP Twizeyimana said.

Burera is one of the districts that Rwanda National Police (RNP) gives much attention as one of the transit routes.

In January this year, about 2918 dozens of contrabands in different brands seized in various police operations in Burera, were also disposed of. About 160 drug dealers were also arrested in that month in Burera.

Last month, other contrabands valued at Rwf8.4 million were also seized in separate operations conducted in the sectors of Rusarabuye, Butaro, Bungwe, Cyanika and Gahunga.

CIP Twizeyimana said that such operations supplemented by public awareness against narcotic drugs are continuous.

Burera and its neighbouring district of Gicumbi boosts of anti-drugs clubs in almost all sectors, formed by residents to support the police efforts both in raising awareness and identifying dealers and routes used to facilitate successful operations.