Rwanda National Police

A Congolese registered vehicle was impounded on July 14, in Rubavu District transporting about 200kgs of cannabis, concealed in 14 sacks.

The pickup vehicle registration number CGO 7995AA19 was intercepted in Rurembo Village, Byahi Cell in Rubavu Sector, Chief inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.

“A resident of Rurembo, earlier that day, called security organs reporting a ring of drug traffickers with quantities of cannabis,” said CIP Kayigi.

“At about 11pm, the Congolese registered pickup that was being used to transport the narcotics to Kigali, was intercepted in Rurembo Village, Byahi Cell in Rubavu Sector, people who were on board abandoned the vehicle in a distance after noticing security organs, and escaped,” the spokesperson explained.

“The vehicle was loaded with 14 sacks of cannabis weighing about 200kgs of cannabis. The car and the drugs were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau at Gisenyi station.”

CIP Kayigi thanked the resident, who tipped-off security organs on the criminal dealings, and called for continued information sharing on drug traffickers and local dealers.

“Rwanda National Police has put much effort in operations and awareness against drugs, but the public are at the top in the fight because most of the drug dealers arrested and seized drugs is because of the information we get from them,” CIP Kayigi said.

Article 263 of the new law determining offences and penalties in general, states that “Any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, the offender faces between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.