Rwanda National Police

A Police sniffer dog from called Kira over the weekend excavated over 100 boules of cannabis stashed in a residential in Kinazi Cell in Nyamugali Sector in Kirehe District.

Kira is one of the many sniffer dogs that RNP’s Canine Brigade deployed for a three-day anti-narcotics operation in Kirehe and Ngoma District. The operation ended yesterday and dogs searched several possible drug stashes in the district. Over 20kgs of drugs were also seized during the operation and arrested five suspects.

The suspects have since been handed over to Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) for farther handling.

In narrating how Kira, one of the sniffer dog, found the drugs, the acting District Police Commander (DPC) of Kirehe, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP), Elly Bugingo said that, “We Upon entering a house belonging to Everest Hakizimana, one of the sniffer dogs took just seconds to unearth 43 boules of cannabis that were sealed in an envelope and hidden under the mattress.”

He went on saying that; “We proceeded with the search in different homes and the dog team kept uncovering more drugs.”

“The sniffer dogs proved to be useful as we searched suspects’ homes and led us to exactly where the drugs were. RNP thanks residents for their help in provision of information and co-operation,” said CIP Bugingo  and also warned residents against engaging drug trade.

“Rwanda National Police has devised concrete strategies to fight drug dealing and consumption. The use of sniffer dogs is one of the many strategies,”

He also stressed that, making, importing or selling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances attracts a prison sentence ranging between three and five years and a fine between Rwf500, 000 and Rwf5 million as stipulated under article 594 of the penal code.

“Narcotic drugs like cannabis and other illicit gins notably kanyanga, pose serious security threat in communities, as the psychotropic substances are blamed for also fueling up other crimes such as; assault, rape and defilement and theft among others,” said Bugingo. 

“As law enforcers, we cannot afford seeing our population particularly the youths getting destroyed by narcotic drugs,” said the acting DPC who also calling for cooperation from the public through information sharing to ensure those involved are arrested and prosecuted.

RNP recently certified 27 new K-9 handlers and dogs and in a related development, the Commanding Officer of the Canine Brigade, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Fabien Musinguzi the Unit currently 91 sniffer dogs trained in detecting explosives and narcotic drugs.

A sniffer dog, according to SSP Musinguzi, has full capability to accomplish a physical search exercise in just 15 minutes, compared to when the same exercise is assigned 50 people.