There is growing concern within Musanze District leadership over increasing crime rate.Latest Police statistics show that the number of registered criminal offences increased from 55 in August to 80 in September.In a period of just one month, two people were beaten to death, and last week, in Gacaca sector, Jules Izagiruwayo stabbed a friend who later died in a Kigali hospital.Similarly, over 15 people were caught in possession of marijuana and other illegal products.One of the women suspects is a resident of Kanombe sector who was among those intercepted in Musaze district as she smuggled over 1,000 pellets of marijuana which she had wrapped underneath her clothes.The suspect, names withheld, who was en route from Rubavu town, confessed to have sneaked in the marijuana from the neighbouring border town of Goma.During a security meeting, early this week, new measures were announced to fight illicit drugs, including a local brew, (Kanyanga), because they were perceived as the root cause of the high crime rate."We have put in place tougher regulations to reduce the crime rate and each individual’s contribution is necessary,” district Mayor Winifirida Mpembyemungu said.She warned against the careless perception that those who indulge in the illegal activities are driven by the urge to seek employment opportunities.The meeting was attended by local leaders at the sector level and officials from all security organs who explained how the level of crime in the area has gradually increased.Lack of food in many sectors of the district due to poor harvest last season was also pointed out as one of the causes of the increasing crime rate. The scarcity of food has resulted into an increase of commodity prices in markets.It was also reported that the compliance for medical insurance (mutuelle de santé) for this year was still at only 24.8percent, making Musanze one of the worst performers countrywide.