Police have intensified crackdown on drug dealers as the government moves to curb growing drug abuse among the youth across the country.

This week, four people were arrested in separate police operations against suppliers and retailers of bhang in Kicukiro and Bugesera districts. Two of the suspects — Isaac Niyigena, 25, and Benjamin Ntakirutimana, 31 — were apprehended on August 29, in Ngarama Village, Mbabe Cell, Masaka Sector of Kicukiro District with 317 pellets of
cannabis.

Etienne Ntegerejimana, 29, and Alphonse Uwineza, 30, were also arrested on August 30 in Rushubi Village, Kabukuba Cell, Juru Sector in Bugesera District with 6 kilogrammes of cannabis. Hamdun Twizeyimana, Eastern Region police spokesperson said the four people were suspected drug dealers until they were arrested red-handed with the help of members of the public.

"Ntegerejimana and Uwineza were arrested with the narcotics that they were going to supply to their clients," said SP Twizeyimana. Sylvestre Twajamahoro, police spokesperson in the City of Kigali, said Mr Niyigena and Mr Ntakirutimana are suspected retailers of cannabis in Kigali.

"Police had information that Ntakirutimana and Niyigena are dealers in narcotic drugs. On Monday, we received a call from a resident in Ngarama village that Ntakirutimana had pellets in his pockets, which he was selling to a users while Ntakirutimana had an envelope containing more quantities of cannabis.

An operation was conducted and the suspects were arrested with a combined 317 pellets of cannabis,” said Mr Twajamahoro.

"Fighting drug related crimes is a collective responsibility, and the public is playing an important part to identify and report traffickers and retailers, which helps to break chains of supply," Mr Twajamahoro said.

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.