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Kinyarwanda
Security operations in Lake Kivu on Thursday intercepted two people, who were trafficking sacks of cannabis into the country.
They were arrested at about 5am as they headed to the shores of the lake in Bwishyura Sector, Karongi District.
According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that the duo was trafficking two sacks of cannabis by boat from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Marine operations in Lake Kivu saw a boat at about 5am, out of suspicion they trailed it and on searching it they recovered two sacks of cannabis weighing 60kgs. The two traffickers, who were on the boat, were immediately taken into custody,” said CIP Gasasira.
The suspects and exhibits were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau at Bwishyura station.
“We have since established that the two suspects were delivering two sacks of narcotics weighing 60kgs, to a local drug dealer only identified as Kimana of Gishyita also in Karongi. Kimana is a renowned local supplier, who is wanted over similar crimes,” Gasasira said.
The arrest comes less than a week after two other drug traffickers were intercepted in possession of 2436 rolls of cannabis. Eight other drug dealers were arrested last week with about 8000 pellets of cannabis.
The continuous crackdown spearheaded by the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Unit is largely focused on identifying compiling names and apprehending major suppliers.
Under article 263 of the new penal code, anyone convicted of producing, transforming, transporting, storing, giving to another or selling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances faces a penalty of between seven years and life imprisonment, including fines of up to Rwf30 million.
