Over 30 arrested in narcotics crackdown

Police in Nyarugenge District have arrested 34 people in connection with selling or consuming marijuana as the campaign against drug abuse continues countrywide. More than 10 kilogrammes of the narcotic were also confiscated during the operation. The suspects currently held at Nyamirambo Police Station, were nabbed in a week-long crack-down on drug dealers. The move is part of the ongoing police efforts to dissuade drug consumption among the youth. The campaign is also part of the implementation of resolutions from an anti-drug and alcohol abuse conference held in December last year. During the symposium, several stakeholders reiterated the alarming proliferation of drug abuse among the youth and called for concerted efforts to fight against the vice. At the meeting, First Lady Jeannette Kagame observed that drug abuse among the youth was a challenge as it leads to loss of lives, school dropouts, and criminal activities, among others. Police have been conducting anti-drug abuse campaigns in schools, which saw drug related crimes reduce by 20 percent last year. The campaigns have heightened vigilance among the general public, who have taken a hand to provide information about the dealers. “We expect the combination of these initiatives to be a strong deterrence to drug abuse, especially among the youth,” Supt Theos Badege, Police spokesperson said. He noted that the involvement of district liaison officers to take the campaign to the grassroots level has widened the scope of stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse. bosco.asiimwe@newtimes.co.rw

National

Over 30 arrested in narcotics crackdown