Rwanda National Police

A woman said to be a major dealer in narcotic drugs was arrested on February 12, in Gatsata Sector of Gasabo District. 

Ingabire Claudine, 28, was taken into custody by the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Unit after it recovered about 4100 rolls of cannabis in her house.

There was information that Ingabire is among major drug dealers in the City of Kigali, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the a City of Kigali, said.

"Ingabire was being watched, it was just a matter of time to arrest her red-handed," CIP Umutesi said.

"The Anti-Narcotics Unit, in response to a rip-off from an informer in Gatsata, first arrested a man only identified as Simba, who is said to be one of Ingabire's customers, he was found with 100 pellets," she said.

Simba, Umutesi said, was cooperative and pointed at Ingabire as his boss. 

"The unit raided the house of Ingabire where they recovered other 4100 pellets, she was immediately taken into custody over the crime." 

Under the new penal code, especially in its article 263, major drug dealers face a term of between 20 years and life in prison.

The punitive penalties are meant to show seriousness attached to combating the vice in the country by breaking supply chains.

This reinforces other community policing efforts of mass awareness on dangers of drugs especially among the youth, the most vulnerable group, as well as rehabilitation efforts all geared towards preventing new users.