Four Rwandans have been taken into custody in connection with trafficking into the country from Brazil 7.4 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $407,000 (Rwf284.9million) in Europe.

According to Tony Kuramba, the Commissioner for Interpol at Rwanda National Police, one of the suspects, 24-year-old Sostene Izibyayo, was arrested at Kigali International Airport on November 18 with the cocaine concealed in his luggage.

"We got information about the traffickers movements from Sao Paolo to Kigali, via Doha. 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,” Kuramba said.

Two other suspects, Eric Rukundo and another suspect, whose name Police has withheld, were arrested later that day in connection with the crime. The unnamed suspect is believed to be the contact person in Rwanda.

Janvier Ndisabiye, the fourth suspect who is believed to be the ringleader, was arrested the next day in Nairobi by Kenyan Police after a tip off from Rwanda Police.

According to Police, Ndisabiye, was also flying from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Kigali via Jomo Kenyatta Airport, but tried to change his journey after receiving news that his alleged co-conspirators had been arrested in Kigali. He was taken into custody before he could board a different flight to Europe.

Police say they are working closely with the Kenyan authorities to transfer him to Kigali.

While being paraded before the media today at the Kicukiro Police Station, the suspects confessed that they were transiting through Rwanda to Europe, where they intended to sell the drugs.

Three of the suspects hold Belgian passports, according to Police.

Police statistics indicate that cannabis is the commonest narcotic trafficked into Rwanda from neighboring countries, while cocaine and heroin are very rare.

Under Article 594 of the Penal Code, any person who, unlawfully imports or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million.

If the criminal acts under the above paragraph are committed internationally, penalties are doubled