Rwanda National Police

Over 1000 litres of kanyanga and other assorted illicit gin have been seized in separate operations conducted in Burera District in the past three months.

The contrabands were disposed of on Saturday by law enforcement organs and local authorities. 

The seized and disposed of contrabands include 1,028 litres of kanyanga and over 320 bottles of Chase vodka, Leaving Gin and Romi’s Wine.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Alexis Rugigana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said the contrabands were seized from traffickers and local sellers in Burera in operations conducted since January this year.

"The assorted illicit gins were seized from dealers in the sectors of Bungwe, Kivuye, Rusarabuye, Gatebe, Ruhende and Rwerere. They were either being trafficked into the country or found in bars and stores," said CIP Rugigana. 

He commended the role of residents, whose information led to the arrest of the dealers and seizure of the contrabands.

Police and local authorities work well closely with communities to identity routes used by dealers, their identities and this facilitates successful operations," he said.

Dr. Eugenie Uwimana, a psychiatrist at Butaro hospital, who attended the public destruction exercise, said the illicit gin pose mental healthy repercussion to consumers.

"Consumers of these contrabands don't think straight, cause mental illness, users cannot think of the ill-effects of their action and in most cases they drive them to commit other crimes," Dr. Uwimana said. 

He advised against consuming these "poisonous substances" and to report dealers driven by individual gains at the expense of the lives of people.