Rwanda National Police

Police in the Kayonza district has impounded a vehicle that was intercepted carrying 400kg of cannabis packed in eight sacks, a criminal act punishable under article 594 of the Rwandan penal code.

It states that any person, who unlawfully makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million. If the acts under the preceding paragraph are committed internationally, the penalties are doubled.

According to Eastern Province Police Spokesperson, Inspector of Police (IP) Emmanuel Kayigi in the morning of November 5, Police received a tip off about a vehicle en route to Kigali from Kirehe district, carrying drugs.

“We deployed along the road and when the vehicle with plate number RAB 448P was approaching Rwamagana town, the suspects saw traffic police and tried to turned back to evade arrest,” said Kayigi.

"Police officers pursued them in the feeder road where they had branched, but they abandoned the vehicle and escaped. We have since impounded the vehicle but investigations are still underway to apprehend all those connected to this drug trafficking ring," he added.

“We have so far identified that owner of the vehicle," he noted.

 “We have conducted different operations and abrupt check points in some particular places based on information available from members of the public, and many drug dealers have been arrested.”