Security organs in Rubavu District, on October 7, arrested a suspected drug dealer after he was allegedly found in possession of over 2000 pellets of cannabis.

He was arrested by a night patrol in Rurembo Village of Byahi Cell, Rubavu Sector at around 11pm, Police said.

He had concealed the rolls of cannabis in a jerrycan in the guise of carrying water or cooking oil, Chief Inspector of Police Innocent Gasasira, the Police Spokesperson for Western region, said.

Security personnel were conducting their routine patrol in Rurembo when they saw the man with a jerrycan, Gasasira said, adding that the suspect looked apprehensive after seeing them.

"They stopped him, when they opened the jerrycan they found it was full of pellets of cannabis. He was immediately taken into custody,” Gasasira said.

The suspect had just crossed through an illegal border from Democratic Republic of Congo.

"We know that drug traffickers employ many tricks in an attempt to beat security and using jerrycans pretending to be carrying water or cooking oil is one of the tricks,” he said.

Article 263 of the new penal code partly states that "any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commits an offence, with a sentence ranging from seven years to life in prison, upon conviction, and a fine of between Rwf20 million and Rwf30 million.

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