Those arrested include one Rusungu Maula, 30, a driver of the truck, in which they were trafficking the narcotics.

Other two, who were also aboard the same truck, which was transporting bags of cement, are Bonaventure Niyonkuru, 27, and Zebron Ntegerejimana, 20.

The Western Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO), Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Mucyo Rukundo, said that the trio had covered the narcotics with bags of cement.

"They had concealed 22.7kgs of cannabis in a bag of cement and covered with other bags of cement. Good enough, Police had prior information and a checkpoint was mounted in Birogo along Rusizi-Nyamasheke highway where the vehicle was intercepted and the three people taken into custody.

Police also recovered another bag expected to be of cement, stashed with second-hand clothes," CIP Rukundo said.

Ntegerejimana allegedly hired Rusungu and his co-driver Niyonkuru to smuggle the narcotics and second-hand clothes from Kamurehe Cell of Gashonga Sector.

They have been handed over to RIB at Kamembe station for further investigations.

"Drug traffickers are arrested almost everyday, and that should be a strong warning that if you are still engaged in these high impact crimes, you will also be arrested to face the law," CIP Rukundo warned.

He hailed the impact of community policing in identifying and reporting drug dealers in communities, their syndicates, routes and tricks used by drug dealers and other prohibited goods.