Anti-Narcotics Unit

The Anti- narcotics Unit is under the Directorate of criminal investigation of Rwanda national police. It was established following a tremendous increase of drug related crimes in Rwanda. The major objective was to have a special drug combat unit in Rwanda.

Drug crimes include; manufacture production, possession, sale, purchase, concealment, use and consumption, export from and import into the country or dealing in any activities in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
The unit has officers working in various parts of the country for example at the Airports and along the borders. These are the areas where traffickers pass when smuggling drugs into the country. The drug enforcement officers undergo specialized training at home and abroad.

Duties and responsibilities of the Anti-Narcotics Unit.

• Prevention and detection of Drug crimes.
• Propagation of drug demand reduction policy through public awareness in Collaboration with other stake holders.
• Apprehension of Drug crime suspects, investigation and sending them to courts for prosecution.

To achieve the above the Anti-narcotics unit performs the following:-

• Conducting organized operations.
• Surveillance
• Receiving intelligence from informants and other law enforcement agencies
• Cannabis eradication
• Search premises suspected to harbour drugs
• Disseminate drug abuse education in different public gatherings for example in schools.

Drug trafficking situation in Rwanda.

Drug trafficking is a global challenge, which knows no boundaries. As a response to the negative impact drug abuse and illicit trafficking can have on the social-economic development, Rwanda national police is at the fore front of the campaign against drug trafficking and abuse. The most common drugs of abuse are; Cannabis and Heroine. The campaign against drug trafficking and abuse is not a crusade for the police alone but for the country as a whole, especially the law enforcement agencies, the local administration, the media, school authorities, youth organizations and other stakeholders