Rwanda National Police

Police and local authorities in Rubavu District have called upon residents to rise up and support national efforts against narcotic drugs.

While addressing more than 1000 residents in Nyakiriba sector on Saturday, the vice mayor in charge of Social Affair, Marie Grace Uwampayizina told the residents that Rubavu shouldn't be defined as a hub or transit for drug dealers.

This was shortly after a communal work--Umuganda--where Police joined residents to construct classrooms of Groupe Scolaire Bisizi.

Uwampayizina told the residents that security starts with them, which empowers them to take community policing measures to fight crimes especially drug dealers.

“As residents living on the borderline, you are the first responders, be vigilant and report people who use your villages as transit routes, stores or selling to other dealers and consumers," the vice mayor said.

Rubavu is mapped as one of the major transit routes for cannabis traffickers from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"If you know or suspect someone to be a drug dealer, call the Police immediately; don't allow these people to continue poisoning and destroying Rwandan children. Remember that protecting Rwandan children is equally the responsibility of every Rwandan," Uwampayizina said.

Over 70 percent of people engaged in drug related crimes and victims in rehabilitation centres are aged between 18 and 35 years.

The acting District Police Commander for Rubavu, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Jean Claude Mazimpaka, while addressing the residents, reflected on various cases of drug traffickers who have been arrested due to information from residents, and urged them to maintain the community policing spirit.

Last Thursday, Police and local leaders in Rubavu arrested a woman with 10kgs of cannabis, which she had buried in the backyard of her house.

On the same day, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) arrested two suspected drug traffickers in Rulindo District with 9, 218 pellets of cannabis. The two suspects were trafficking the narcotics from Rubavu to dealers in Kigali.

ANU also arrested a couple in Kigali with 40, 000 pellets of cannabis which they had trafficked from DRC through a porous border in Rubavu.