Four people were arrested and 310 litres of illicit brew was seized in a Police crackdown on distillers of illicit drinks in Nyanza District, last week.

The potent brew, locally known as Muriture, is said to be a harmful drink made out of water, sugarcane residues, tea leaves and burned bricks.

Those arrested include Charles Bitangampuruza, 38, who was found with 90 litres of muriture; Leonidas Nyangezi, 32, who was found in possession of 100 litres, Theogene Byiringiro, 21 (120 litres) and Ibrahim Sindayigaya, who was caught with pellets of cannabis.

They are all currently detained at Busasamana Police Station pending further investigations and processing of their respective dossiers for judicial proceedings.

Andre Hakizimana, the Police spokesperson for Southern Province, said the exercise was part of the ongoing operations to break the supply chain, especially makers of all types of illicit brew.

"There is still time for those who are yet to be identified to abandon this illegal business because the operation will continue to the last person, especially that the people are part of this crackdown and they provide credible information on specific individuals involved and location,” Hakizimana said.

He commended the role of the residents who provide information that leads to successful operations.

Article 594 of the penal code states that any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million.

The same article also penalises those who consumes, injects, inhales, anoints him or herself with or makes any other unlawful use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, with a term of imprisonment of one to three years and a fine of Rwf50,000 to Rwf500,000.

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