In Burera District, Francine Mukurizehe, 38, was found in possession of 10kgs of cannabis while the duo of Redempta Mukandamutsa, 28, and Damascene Akimana, 32, was respectively arrested with 3,000 and 2,116 pellets in Nyabihu District.

The District Police Commander (DPC) for Burera, Superintendent of Police (SP) Aphrodis Nkundineza said that Mukurizehe was intercepted by residents in Rwerere sector sneaking drugs into Rwanda from Uganda.

"Residents were conducting Umuganda when Mukurizehe, who was with another man carrying a luggage, bypassed without joining them for the community work. However, at that moment, the man run away which prompted the residents to get suspicious and apprehended Mukurizehe, searched their luggage and found it contained cannabis, they called and handed her to the Police," SP Nkundineza said.

Mukurizehe claimed that the narcotics belong to the man, who run away, although she could not disclose his identities.

She claimed that she was just hired by the said man to transport the narcotics to Base for Frw10, 000, where he would board the bust to Kigali, to deliver the narcotics to another dealer.

SP Nkundineza lauded the residents for the vigilance and community policing spirit, which he said plays a big role in identifying and arresting wrongdoers as well as fighting and preventing crimes.

On the same day, the two other drug dealers; Mukandamutsa and Akimana were respectively arrested in Jenda and Bigogwe sectors of Nyabihu District, while trafficking drugs to their clients.

The Western region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that Police arrested Mukandamutsa, who availed further information on Akimana, who is also a member of the same trafficking ring.

"Police had information that Mukandamutsa was a major drug dealer, who sneaks the narcotics into the Rwanda from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Police went to her home where she was found at about 5am where she was arrested with 3000 pellets of cannabis.

Following her arrest, Mukandamutsa revealed that she hired a taxi-moto operator identified as Emmanuel Nzayituriki, to bring the drugs from DRC and she had supplied other narcotics to her client Damascene Akimana, who operates in Bigogwe sector, where he was also arrested at his home with other 2116 rolls of cannabis," CIP Karekezi said.

The suspects were handed over to RIB for further legal process while the search of their accomplices is still ongoing.

The Ministerial order nº 001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019_ establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorisation go 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.