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Separate Police operations against drugs in Nyabihu District, seized about 420kgs of cannabis.
According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, the narcotics were seized from dealers, including major suppliers, most of them who were convicted and currently serving varied sentences.
The narcotics, including assorted illicit gin, were disposed of on Friday, February 12, in a public exercise held in Kariyeri Village, Rega Cell in Bigogwe Sector.
The destruction exercise was witnessed by the mayor of Nyabihu, Antoinette Mukandayisenga, Chief Prosecutor for Rubavu Intermediate Court, Janvier Munyaneza, Police, RIB, DASSO and local leaders in Bigogwe Sector.
Mayor Mukandayisenga reminded grassroots leaders to work with the people to create strong and active community policing structures in fighting drug delears.
She further urged them to work with security organs and Rwanda National Police (RNP) in particular to identify and report anyone they suspect to be engaged in drug related crimes.
"We all know how dangerous abusers are to the general safety and wellbeing of the people. We have seen crimes like theft, assault, sexual violence and domestic conflicts fueled by drugs or by people under the influence of these drugs. It's everyone's responsibility to fight them by reporting dealers," said the mayor.
Meanwhile, CIP Karekezi said that most of those arrested with the disposed of narcotics were reported by residents.
"The destroyed drugs were seized from either dealers operating in Nyabihu or those using Nyabihu and transit route," CIP Karekezi said.
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Cannabis is listed as a “very several drug” under the Ministerial Order No.001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization.
Under article 263 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, anyone convicted for dealing in “very severe narcotic drugs” faces between 20 years and life in prison and a fine of between Frw20 million Frw30 million.
