Illicit drugs worth over Rwf31 million were yesterday destroyed in Rubavu District as part of the activities to mark the International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking that falls on June 26.

The activities to mark this year’s awareness against illicit drugs are due in Rubavu today.

The destroyed drugs included 248 kilogrammes of cannabis and variety of illicit gin including 137 sachets under different brand names like Sky blue and 65 litres of local brew called kanyanga.

The destruction exercise was held in Rubavu sector and attended by local, judicial and hundreds of area residents and students.

The drugs were seized in the districts of Nyabihu, Ngororero and Rubavu over the last two months. They are said to have been trafficked into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo through porous borders.

Police said majority of people connected to this illegal business were arrested with some of them already handed varied jail sentences in various courts in the three districts.

Article 594 of the penal code stipulates that any person, who consumes, injects, inhales, anoints him/herself with or makes any other unlawful use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of one to three years and a fine of Rwf50, 000 to Rwf500, 000.

Under the same article, any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country also faces an imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million.

The law governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Rwanda, in its Article 24, also states that "any drink that exceeds forty five percent of alcohol and any other drink which doesn’t have the required quality for consumption shall be considered as narcotic drug.”

Dr. Jean Damascene Iyamuremye, head of Mental Health department at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) outlined heart and kidney failures and mental illness as some of the dangers associated with consuming illicit drugs.

He also said drug abuse is responsible for HIV spread   because abusers lose their senses and end up in reckless sexual acts.

Ezekiel Buntu Nsengiyumva, the Rubavu District vice mayor in charge of economic development appealed to residents to partner with police by providing information on people involved in these criminal activities, including traffickers, sellers and consumers.