Police has arrested seven people in connection with the over 18, 900 rolls of marijuana that were recovered in various parts of the country.The seizure and the subsequent arrest of the suspects is a result of the ongoing police campaign to fight and prevent drug trade and abuse in the country, which has been cited mainly among the youth.A 31-year-old suspect was arrested yesterday in Nyarweru Cell, Kanyinya Sector in Nyarugenge District with 3220 rolls of marijuana, according to police.The suspect, currently detained at Mageragere Police Station, was at the time travelling on a Kigali-bound bus from Musanze District.Other 3,600 rolls of the narcotics were recovered on an Onatracom bus at a roadblock in Gakenke sector in Gakenke District. The bus was also en-route to Kigali from Musanze.Two other suspects were also arrested at a police check point in Kamonyi Sector in Kibirira Cell with 10, 952 rolls of cannabis.At the time of their arrest, the duo had hired a Democratic Republic of Congo registered vehicle, 8640AA/09 which they had used to transport the narcotics to Kigali, apparently from DRC.Another 40-year old suspect was arrested separately in Musanze District with about 1,200 rolls.Supt. Francis Gahima, the Northern Region Police Spokesperson, confirmed the arrests.Gahima said concrete mechanisms to detect and arrest drug dealers, especially in Rubavu, have been laid.According to Gahima, drugs such as cannabis and local brew (Kanyanga) are sneaked into the country from neighbouring countries. He observed that drug consumption fuels other crimes “We have conducted several operations and abrupt check points in some particular places based on information available,” Gahima said, noting that the strategy has so far yielded commendable results as “many drug dealers have been arrested.”Gamiha urged Rubavu residents to partner with Police by sharing information about any persons suspected to be dealing in drugs to ensure that drug abuse is uprooted in the country.
