{Rwanda National Police (RNP) has strengthened its community awareness programmes and operations against drug dealers in its pursuit to reverse the trend.}
Since this Monday, police officers in all districts have been actively engaged in operations and sensitization campaigns down in communities, where a number of drug dealers and abusers were also apprehended and seized narcotics destroyed.
At least 20 suspected drug traffickers and abusers have since been arrested in varied operations in different districts, and about 20 kilogrammes and 400 rolls of cannabis seized.
In Rubavu, police sniffer dogs, on March 10, tracked down at least seven youth in the cells of Amahoro and Umuganda in Gisenyi Sector, who were either abusing or trafficking drugs.
In Kirehe, two people were also apprehended in Gatore Sector with 15 kilogrammes of cannabis, following information provided by area residents about the illegal dealings of the duo, police said.
Meanwhile, in Nyagatare, Kayonza and Huye districts, police and local leaders engaged residents in discussions on how to fight and prevent the common tendencies of use and sale of illicit drugs such as cannabis, illicit gin and other locally made illicit brew with varied brand names.
Police officers in Nyagatare held a meeting with about 400 taxi-moto operators of Nyagatare Sector and urged them to desist from acts of facilitating drug trafficking, instead report people who approach them to transport their illegal luggage.
Motorcyclists and drivers have been on spotlight facilitating drug trafficking.
Whereas Nyagatare is considered t as one of transit route for trafficked banned gin like kanyanga, chief and zebra waragi, Kirehe and Rubavu are said to be the main entry routes for traffickers of cannabis.
Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Celestin Twahirwa said “enhanced awareness and crackdown operations are meant to build on the previous successful campaigns and suppress drug trafficking and abuse.”
“When you take steps in dealing with a certain challenge, you don’t wither, instead you strengthen the existing initiatives and devise new ones to double the effort and this is what Rwanda National Police is driving to in fight against illicit drugs,” ACP Twahirwa said.
“These campaigns are conducted in mapped-out places and specific groups of people where drugs seem to be prevalent, the same applies to operations that are conducted in targeted places based on available credible information from members of the public themselves,” he added.
He lauded the existing partnership with the population through community policing, which continues to augment police crime detection mechanisms, and thwarting a big number of criminal activities .
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