{Following the intensified operations to break the supply chain of narcotic drugs, Police in the Eastern Province has arrested five people in Rwamagana and Ngoma districts after they were found trafficking about 170 kg of cannabis.}
The suspects were arrested separately on March 3 in police operations following a tip-off from members of the public, police said.
Two of the suspects identified as Cassien Sibomana and Martin Nsengimana were apprehended at about 3am in Rubona Sector in Rwamagana while trafficking seven bags of cannabis – approximately 161 kilogrammes – in a vehicle Toyota Carina RAB 933S.
Three others; Eric Habimana, Augustin Ntawushiragahinda and Daniel Nambajimana were arrested in Sake Sector in Ngoma district with nine kilogrammes, tied around their body.
“In Ngoma, residents suspected that Habimana, Ntawushiragahinda and Nambajimana could be trafficking drugs due the abnormal physical appearance; they called local leaders, apprehended them and when they searched them, they found cannabis wrapped around their body inside their clothes, and they called sake police station for intervention,” IP Kayigi said.
He thanked the residents, who were quick to share information that led to the apprehension of the suspects and seizure of the narcotic drugs.
“These and many other successful operations show the impact of community policing where people stand up to fight anything that affects their well-being,” he added.
“The partnership is down to the household level and as Police, we value the existing collaboration with the people, their role in community policing and crime prevention in general, we take this opportunity to argue everybody to take note of their method and means of concealment to help share information of any suspicious character ,,” he noted.
“As Rwanda National Police, we have intensified awareness and operations against drug dealers and abusers, and call upon the public to give much value and support these campaigns through timely information sharing, to break rings of suppliers and ultimately the consumers,”
Narcotics, he noted, are a threat to life and they interfere with security and safety measures within any given community as it fuels other crimes like domestic violence and theft, among others.
“The fight will include increased community awareness, snap checks, mapping out hotspots, community policing committees, youth volunteers in community policing among others.”
Growing, selling, transformation, transportation, storage and consumption of narcotic drugs are prohibited under article 593 of the penal code and punishable under article 594, with a term of imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rwf5 million.
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