In Ruhango District, Police apprehended the trio of Innocent Tuyizere, 32, Ngirabatware Bihoyiki, 25 and Emmanuel Mbarubucyeye, 46, in Ruhango Sector, Munini Cell, Ruhuha Village with 2,700 pellets of cannabis.

In Muhanga Dstrict, Nyamabuye Sector in Gitarama Cell, two people who were traveling on a motorcye dropped a bag containing 1,010 pellets of cannabis on seeing the Police, and escaped.

The trio arrested in Ruhango, according to the Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, was traveling in a Fuso, which was stopped at a Police check-point.

"At about 7:30pm on Sunday, as Police officers were enforcing the curfew, they stopped a Fuso at the roadblock mounted in Ruhuha village in which Bihoyiki and Tuyizere were traveling in. When officers searched the vehicle they recovered 2700 pellets of cannabis; 1200 pellets owned by Bihoyiki were concealed in a bag while Tuyizere had 1500 pellets wrapped around his body," SP Kanamugire said.

Following their arrest, Tuyizere and Bihoyiki disclosed that they got the narcotics from Emmanuel Mbarubucyeye, who was also located and arrested in Mungejuru Village, Nyamagana cell of Ruhango sector.

Other 20kgs of cannabis were seized from other traffickers in Burera District, who were attempting to cross into Rwanda from Uganda’s district of Kabale through Rugezi mashland in Kivuye Sector. The traffickers dropped the narcotics and fled back to Uganda.

Police in Burera said the escapees are known and are supplied by two Ugandan nationals only identified as Sinai and Sempa.

In Rutsiro District, Eurade Ntakirutimana, 31, was arrested in Rwesero village, Kaguriro cell, Mushonyi sector with 435 pellets of cannabis.

Ntakirutimana told the Police that the narcotics belong to one Issa of Bacanga in Rubavu District, who had hired him to deliver them to one of the clients for Rwf10,000.

Meanwhile, in Rulindo District, 4kgs of cannabis were dropped by two dealers, who were traveling on a motorcycle in Gatete village, Gitare cell of Base sector.

The successful operations are mainly facilitated by information provided by the public which helps the Police and local leaders to compile lists of dealers.

Cannabis is classified as a very severe drug in Rwanda.

Article 263 of law No. 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offenses and penalties in general states that any person, who unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, commits an offence.

Upon conviction for very severe narcotics, the offender faces between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.