The Eastern Province authorities on Tuesday set ablaze a huge quantity of drugs from Kayonza and Kirehe districts, a Police official has said.

Acting Regional Police Commander (RPC), Superintendent Claude Kajeguhakwa told The New Times that the burnt drugs included 502 kilogrammes of marijuana, 400 tablets, 1020 litters of kanyanga (local brew) and 200 packets of chief waragi.

"Police in the Eastern Province have a program of fighting drug abuse. Destroying these drugs comes after last week’s destruction of other drugs from Ngoma district and Rwamagana district,” Kajeguhakwa explained.

The public burning of the drugs was held at Kabarondo sector, Kayonza district. It was attended by the Eastern Province Governor, seven district Mayors of the province, sector executives, representatives of different security bodies and the districts’ prosecutor.

Kajeguhakwa said that Rwanda police normally work with the Tanzanian police to fight drug abuse. He continued that the operation that brought together the burnt drugs had taken one and half months. He added that the drugs that come into the country are mainly imported from Uganda and Tanzania.

"It was to awaken the residents because drug abuse is among top three crimes in the province, it comes after domestic violence and sexual violence,” the police commander said.

Kajeguhakwa said that when the drugs were impounded, the dealers and users of the were arrested and criminal files opened.

The penalty can run to between three months and five years in jail, including fines. But someone who imports the drugs into the country risks a 10-yaer prison sentence.

Kajeguhakwa urged residents and Community Policing Committees to tip the security organs if they happen to know of any person dealing in or using drugs.

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