{Rwanda National Police (RNP) arrested three Rwandan nationals in connection with trafficking cocaine into the country.
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One of the suspects, Sostene Izibyayo, a resident of Nyamiranbo in Kigali, who was traveling on a Belgian passport, was on November 18 intercepted at Kigali International Airport with 7.4 kilograms of cocaine valued at about Euro 296, 000 (Rwf254 million).
Izibyayo was in transit from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha and Dakar.
Two other suspects linked to the drug curtail; Eric Rukundo and Janvier Ndisabiye were arrested separately in Kigali and Nairobi, Kenya respectively.
Rukundo had traveled to Rwanda on a Belgian passport from Brazil a day before while Ndisabiye, who attempted to redirect his flight schedule from Sao Paolo to Rwanda, was arrested in Nairobi at the Jomo Kenyatta airport by Kenyan Police the following day, while trying to flee.
Rwandan and Kenyan police forces are currently working together to transfer the suspect to Kigali for trial.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Tony Kuramba, Commissioner for Interpol in RNP, said that the suspects; Izibyayo, Rukundo and Ndisabiye are the main drug dealers in this ring, and were tracked minute by minute as they travelled from Brazil.
“We got information of traffickers movements from Sao Paolo to Kigali, via Doha – and airport Police was immediately alerted and they began tracking them until one of them, Izibibyayo arrived in Kigali. He was then arrested and taken to a private room for searching – and that is where we discovered 14 packs containing cocaine concealed in ladies’ bags found in his luggage,” ACP Kuramba said.
Aware of the challenges of transnational crimes including drugs trafficking, ACP Kuramba said, RNP enhanced border and airport security including the deployment of a 1-24/7 information communication tool which gives RNP access to Interpol criminal data bases including information about drug traffickers and terrorists.
He, however, noted that cannabis is the commonest narcotic trafficked into Rwanda from neighboring countries, while cocaine and heroin are very rare.
He added that fighting drug abuse remains among RNP priorities.
With increasing capacities and capabilities, RNP is confident Rwanda can neither be a transit nor a destination for illicit drugs.
“These are fruits of partnership with Interpol in particular, which provides timely information, and local security institutions,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the networks of those involved in this case, according to ACP Kuramba, while he encouraged travelers and the public in general to report any suspicious people and luggage in time.
Under article 594 of the Rwandan Penal Code, any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, is liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million.
If criminal acts under the above paragraph are committed internationally, penalties are doubled.
Investigations established that the suspects were trafficking cocaine through Rwanda to Europe.
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