Police have called upon transporters to be vigilant and take precaution not to facilitate criminality, especially drug dealers.

This was after it came to light that many drug dealers find public transport a more reliable means to traffic drugs.

One of such incidents happened on Monday, when the Police in Ngororero District arrested a woman suspected to be drug dealer, who was travelling in a public bus.

The suspect, Fatuma Igihozo, 23, was at the time of arrest found in possession of 4,000 pellets of cannabis concealed in a sack. She was apparently travelling in a Muhanga-bound bus from Karongi District.

"When she boarded the bus with the suspicious sack, a resident who allegedly knew about her dealings immediately alerted the Police. Police officers stopped the bus shortly after take-off only to find the sack filled with rolls of cannabis,” said Police Spokesperson for the Western Region, Superintendent Emmanuel Hitayezu.

It is said bus drivers, special hire drivers, commercial motorcyclists and truck drivers are usually exploited or collaborate with drugs traffickers.

"A number of drug traffickers have been intercepted in public and private vehicles. At times, there is a connection between the driver or co-drivers,” Hitayezu said.

"Public transporters need to be more vigilant and watch out for people who want to abuse their services. It is not just drug traffickers, but even those transporting smuggled or stolen products, or even criminals who are fleeing from the hand of justice.”

Early this month, Police in Karongi District intercepted a vehicle loaded with assorted equipment that had been stolen from a construction company after a tip-off from the driver, leading to the recovery and arrest of the suspected thieves.

In another incident, on July 16 a commercial motorcyclist in Kigali realised that his passenger had paid him using counterfeit money and dragged him to a Police station. The suspect was searched and found in possession of more counterfeit notes, and was arrested.

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