The ANU also seized 2400 pellets of cannabis during the operations.

Mukeshimana was arrested in his home village of Nyabitare Village, Ruyenzi Cell with 200 rolls of cannabis.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Habiyaremye, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that other 2200 pellets of cannabis were recovered from Mukeshimana’s accomplice, who is still at large.

"Mukeshimana was a suspected member of a ring that traffics and distributes cannabis. During the operation, she was found in possession of 200 pellets after being supplied by another member of the same racket identified as Patient Rukabu Nizeyimana, who is still in hiding. The ANU also recovered other 2200 rolls of cannabis from Nizeyimana’s house also located in Ruyenzi," CIP Habiyaremye said.

The search for Nizeyimana, who fled during the operations, is still underway, he added. During the search at Nizeyimana’s house, Police also recovered Rwf136,000, apparently paid to him by Mukeshimana for the 200 rolls of cannabis.

CIP Habiyaremye lauded the impact of the public in fighting and preventing drug related crimes.

"Mukeshimana and her supplier Nizeyimana were identified because of the information shared by residents on their criminal businesses activities. Many other drug dealers have been arrested in different parts of the country because of this partnership through community policing," CIP Habiyaremye said.

He observed that dealing in cannabis is a "high impact crime" because of other related acts like theft, influencing school drop out, related mental illness of abusers and assault.

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 between Rwf20 million and Rwf30 million.