Rwanda National Police

A man said to be part of a ring that traffics narcotic drugs into the country was arrested on Tuesday in Ngoma District.

Iyakaremye Evaliste, 44, was intercepted in Kumikiza Village of Bugera Cell transporting two sacks of cannabis on a motorcycle registration number RD 080L, which was also impounded to Remera Police station where the suspect is also currently detained.

His arrest comes barely a month after another drug dealer was also arrested in Ngoma trafficking about 140kgs of cannabis concealed in three sacks.

In September last year, Police busted a racket of 14 drug dealers using Kirehe-Ngoma route from Tanzania. At the time, the racket was caught red-handed also in Ngoma trafficking 12 sacks of cannabis weighing about 360kgs of cannabis.

“Most drug dealers use the cover of the night, but due to the strong policing partnership with the people and strengthened community night patrols, we have been able to identify the routes they use through Kirehe-Ngoma-Rwamagana to Kigali, and that’s how District Police Units coordinate based on information, to intercept and arrest dealers,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Thoebard Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province, said.

“The cooperation with our neighbouring Tanzania Police force is also producing results through joint operations and information sharing,” he added.

Last year, Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Tanzania Police Force started a joint operation in Kagera region of Tanzania including marine operations in River Kagera partly to destroy cannabis farms and arrest dealers, as part of the implementation of cross-border cooperation between the two forces.

Meanwhile, the ongoing outreach programmes jointly conducted by RNP in partnership with the ministries of Health, Local Government and Youth, is expected to continue in Kirehe this week to further raise awareness against chains of supply and consumption market.

So far, the joint government entities have met with local leaders and youth groups in Burera and Rubavu, owners and managers of hospitality facilities including hotels, bars, restaurants and nightspots in Kigali as well as heads of religious denominations in the country to join efforts against drug abuse and particularly to break local markets.