Four people were on Saturday arrested in Rulindo District while trafficking 80 kilogrammes of cannabis, the police have said. 

The narcotics were being trafficked in a vehicle, Toyota Collora registration number RAB 306N, which was also impounded, it added.

Chief Inspector of Police Hamdun Twizeyimana, the spokesperson for Northern Region, said the quartet (names withheld) was arrested on tip-off from a whistleblower.

A roadblock was subsequently mounted in Gakenke town where the vehicle was later intercepted, he said.

"The suspects were driving at night with lights off; it was around 10p.m. They refused to stop at a police checkpoint and sped off, which prompted officers to trail them,” Twizeyimana said.

"When they reached Rulindo, they branched off in Bushoki Sector but police pursued them to where they had parked in Rulindo, searched the car and recovered a sack of cannabis weighting 80kg. All the four people onboard were immediately taken into custody,” he added.

"The vehicle was impounded and handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau as well as the suspects.”

Twizeyimana said "there is a commendable partnership between the police and the public, who provide information to inform our successful operations, especially against drug trafficking.”

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/or a fine of Rwf500,000 to Rwf5 million.

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