Rwanda National Police

Two people, who have been distilling crude gin commonly known as Kanyanga were arrested on October 14 in Kigoma Sector, Nyanza District. 

Theoneste Ntaganira, 32, and Jonathan Kamanzi, 42, were apprehended red-handed distilling the banned gin, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said.

"We recovered 43 litres which they had already distilled but we also seized various equipment and raw materials which they were using," CIP Karekezi said.

"The successful operation and subsequent arrest of the duo was in response to information provided by residents of Kigoma who had earlier reported that they were distilling Kanyanga," CIP Karekezi said.

He thanked the residents for the community policing act and called for continued information sharing on drug dealers.

"When you see or even suspect someone to be distilling, trafficking or selling narcotic drugs be quick to call the Police, we will be there to arrest them," he said.

Kanyanga is classified as a psychotropic substance in Rwanda with a sentence ranging from seven years to life in prison under the new penal code.