Rwanda National Police

Bosco Habiyambere, 51, Vedaste Nzeyimana, 32, and Theogene Munezero, 28, could have succeeded trafficking narcotics into the country not once or twice, but their luck run-out on April 10.

Earlier that evening of April 10, Police at Kamembe station in Rusizi District received a phone call from a resident with information of three people suspected to be trafficking cannabis.

“The caller specified the commuter vehicle the suspects had boarded from Mururu Sector and that it was headed to Nyamagabe District,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.

“A snap-check was mounted and at exactly 8:40pm, the vehicle showed up, it was stopped, the three people were identified, searched and they found about 10kgs combined wrapped around their bodies covered with clothes. They were immediately taken into custody over the crime,” CIP Gasasira explained.

“A number of drug traffickers using this similar trick have been arrested, so we are aware of these ploys largely because of the information we get from the people,” the spokesperson said.

Other tricks used include concealing them in foodstuff, women veils, tyres, gas cylinders as well as public and private means especially at night, among others.

Anyone convicted for dealing in narcotic drugs, under article 263 of the penal code, faces a term of imprisonment of between seven years and life in prison.