English
Kinyarwanda
Continued crackdown on drug dealers in the Northern Province Police has lead to seizure contrabands valued over Rwf5.8 million in Gicumbi and Rulindo districts, over the last one month.
The psychotropic substances seized, according to Inspector of Police (IP) Innocent Gasasira, Police spokesperson for the Northern region, include cartons of Real gin, Blue sky, Kitoko waragi, Kick waragi and African gin.
In Rukomo Sector of Gicumbi District, Police also arrested Jean Bosco Harerimana who was found trafficking 15 cartons of Real gin. He is currently held at Byumba Police station.
“In the context of Police Week, where we are focusing on different areas including fighting drug abuse, we destroyed these substances in front of residents and tutored them about the dangers of selling and consuming such substances,” said IP Gasasira.
Gicumbi District has been labeled as one of the main transit routes for traffickers of contrabands.
The contrabands are classified among the psychotropic substances under Article 24 of the law governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Rwanda, which categorize all drinks with alcoholic content exceeding 45 per cent, as ‘narcotics.’
IP Gasasira noted that there is increased awareness, public partnership and operations against illicit gin in most prone districts because of their adjacent location to the borderlines.
“This is why more traffickers have been arrested and quantities of illicit gin seized,” he explained.
Border districts are usually used as transit routes for narcotics and illicit substances sneaked into the country.
The districts that have previously recorded high figures include Gicumbi, Burera, Kirehe, Nyagatare and Rubavu.
Article 594 of the penal code, stipulates that, any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine ranging from Rwf500,000 to Rwf5 million or both.
