The ongoing police crackdown to break the supply chain of narcotic drugs led to the seizure of at least 165 kilogrammes of cannabis in Kazo Sector of Ngoma District on January 29, and arrest of four men in connection with trafficking the narcotic drugs.

Police identified the suspects as Jean Baptiste Ibyimanikora Jonas Havugabaramye, Jean Baptiste Niyonsaba, and one Uwiringiyimana.

They are currently detained at Mutenderi Police station pending further investigations, Police said.

Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, Inspector of Police (IP), Emmanuel Kayigi, said that the previous day, acting on information provided by residents of Kazo, Police raided the house of one of the suspects, located in Kinyonzi Cell, where the quartet was caught smoking cannabis and recovered a half kilogramme of cannabis.

"We had received information that there was cannabis in Ibyimanikora’s house, and in large quantities, which we did not find when we searched the house on January 28. The next day we searched the house of Havugabaramye where we recovered the 165 kilogrammes concealed in six sacks. Preliminary investigations indicate that the narcotics actually belong to Ibyumanikora and had stored them at Havugabaramye’s house,” said Kayigi.

"The community policing efforts we continue to invest through public sensitisation are paying off. We commend the level at which the public report criminal activities, and this has been a great asset in detecting, fighting and preventing crimes, and arresting criminals, especially drug dealers,” he added.

Medical experts say cannabis has psychological and physiological effects on the human body including increased heartbeat or risk of heart attack and rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain that are also likely to be permanent.

Article 594 of the penal code stipulates 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.

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