Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Viateur Munyurasi Gakara, the Acting District Police Commander for Rulindo, identified the suspects as Jean Claude Sibomana alias Fils and Frederic Niyonsaba, both aged 25.

He said that the duo had allegedly trafficked the narcotics into Rwanda from Uganda.

"ANU first arrested Niyonsaba in Nyirabirori Village, Gatsinde Cell of Tumba Sector with 8kgs of cannabis, where he was going to supply cannabis retailers.

Niyonsaba identified Sibomana Jean Claude as his boss, who had hired him to supply the narcotics. Sibomana was located and arrested in Cyogo village, Marembo cell of Kinihira sector also in Rulindo District with other 10kgs of cannabis," CIP Gakara said.

Many drug traffickers have been intercepted in Rulindo District enroute to Kigali. It is mostly used as a transit route from either Uganda or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In January, three people were in Rulindo District in possession of 1,300 pellets of cannabis.

On March 1, ANU three other people in the same district with 31kgs and 200 pellets of cannabis.

Two more drug dealers were also arrested on March 7, with 12kgs and 115 pellets of cannabis.

Later on March 29, another drug trafficker was intercepted in Gatimba Village, Bugaragara Cell of Shyorongi Sector also in Rulindo trafficking about 1,000 pellets of cannabis to Kigali.

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.