They were arrested on Tuesday 5th July, in two separate operations conducted by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU).

"Police first arrested the duo of Claudette Nyiramariro and a taxi-moto operator identified as Mohamed Ingabire with 3,080 pellets of cannabis. They were intercepted in Nyamwishyura village, Bisiza cell, Nyakiriba sector," Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western, region said.

The motorcycle RG 893B, used in the crime was also impounded. The successful operations were facilitated by information provided by members of the public.

Meanwhile, Placide Dushimimana was also arrested with 1040 pellets of cannabis in Bushashu village, Kirerema cell, Kanzenze sector.

The narcotics were sneaked into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through porous border points, according to SP Karekezi.

The suspects were handed over to RIB at Gisenyi station for further investigations.

The Ministerial order No. 001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization classifies cannabis in the category of "very severe narcotics.’’

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.