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Kinyarwanda
Separate police operations conducted last week in the districts of Kirehe, Rubavu and Gasabo led to the arrest of five people who were at the time trafficking a combined 110 kilogrammes of cannabis.
The operations were based on reliable information provided by residents in the three districts, Police said.
One of the suspects, Bernadette Nyanzoga was arrested in Bugeshi Village, Hehu Cell of Bugeshi Sector in Rubavu carrying 16kgs of cannabis.
Nyanzoga was at the time trying to cross into Rwanda from the DR Congo with the narcotics concealed in her luggage.
In Nduba Sector of Gasabo District, Police apprehended the trio of Jean Pierre Maniraguha, 27, Aboubakar Ntahombaye, 22, and one only identified as Dusabumuremyi in possession of 54kgs of cannabis, which they were at the time transporting in a vehicle Toyota Corolla RAA 072J.
Meanwhile, in Kirehe, commercial motorcyclists in Cyunuzi, Gatore Sector trailed a motorcyclist, who was trafficking about 40 kilograms of cannabis, until they apprehended him in Cyunuzi and handed him over to the Police. The motorcycle was also impounded to Gatore Police station, where the suspect is also detained.
Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province Inspector of Police (IP) Jean de Dieu Kayihura, said: “Motorcyclists in Cyunuzi learnt about a criminal plan of a man identified as Thomas, a resident of Remera Sector in Ngoma District, who had hired a motorcyclist identified as Hashim Nshimiyimana to transport two sacks of cannabis weighing 40kgs from a place called Rwantonde to his residence in Remera.”
“Commercial motorcyclists were quick to inform Gatore Police station, but also trailed their colleague, who had been hired to transport the drugs until they intercepted him in Cyunuzi, Police arrived and took up the case,” he added.
He commended the motorcyclists for “acting responsibly” and their effort to fight drug trafficking and criminality in general.
It is not the first time motorcyclists and drivers along Rusumo-Ngoma highway, have apprehended drug traffickers and handed them over to the Police.
In August last year, they also handed to the Police one of their own, after they caught him transporting 10kgs of cannabis.
Later in October the same year, a driver of Matunda Express – a local travel agency–called the police in Kirehe District reporting two men, who had concealed at least 30 kilogrammes of cannabis in traveling bags. The two men were arrested at a roadblock after the driver stopped and told the police.
Another drug trafficker was arrested back in 2015 with 30kgs of cannabis, after the driver of a public vehicle he was traveling in parked at a roadblock and told the Police.
“We commended the spirit and vigilance of transporters and motorcyclists in fighting trafficking of cannabis. Residents along the border with Tanzania have also increased their effort to break chains of supply through information sharing,” IP Kayihura said.
Last week, Police in the Eastern Province and their counterpart of Kagera region in Tanzania launched joint operations in River Akagera, against drug traffickers and to destroy cannabis farms wherever they may be on either side.
