Police in Nyarugenge yesterday destroyed illegal hard drugs and alcohol worth over five million Francs that had been seized in recent operations as they were being sneaked into the country through neighbouring countries; the DR Congo and Uganda.

"We are yet to talk to our neighbours to tighten the law on drug trafficking. If it is legal to consume drugs in those countries, it is illegal here and any time we get them they will be destroyed,” Chief Supt Emmanuel Butera, director of Community policing said.

The drugs which include 50,000 sticks of marijuana, quantities of local toxic alcoholic beverage popularly known as Kanyanga and over one thousand sachets of Chief Waragi, were confiscated through separate operations by the department of community policing and local authorities.

They were set ablaze in an effort to curb crime which in most cases is motivated by drug abuse by idlers most of whom are youth.

"RNP calls upon all Rwandans to come together in fighting against dealers and consumers of drugs. Their effect is so dangerous that it affects and damages the brain,” said Butera.
He emphasized the role of the Community Policing Committees (CPC) and the local population especially people living at the boarders in ensuring reduction of crime in an effort to create a crime-free Rwanda for all.

"People mostly those living near border towns of Gisenyi (Western Province) and Rusumo (in the Eastern Province) should spearhead the struggle because there are the main routes where the drugs get into the country,” Butera appealed.

Police spokesperson, Willy Marcel Higiro, called for continued collective efforts between the people and the police as a public institution.

"Talking about drugs does not sound new to Rwandans especially Kigali city residents and other major towns of the country but together this will soon be history,” he said.

According to Butera, 147 people were arrested in connection with drug trafficking last year.

In a related development, today police in Remera is scheduled to destroy a truckload of locally brewed beer from bananas locally known as urwarwa.

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