Police have intensified a crackdown on the rising cases of drugs abuse among the youth during the lockdown time.

According to Rwanda National Police reports, through the multiple operations countrywide dozens of drug dealers have been arrested.

Rwanda National Police noted that over the past five months alone, in collaboration with the citizens over 110 suspected drug dealers were arrested.

Through the various operations that have been targeting the urban areas and border communities, the police impounded nearly 50,000 pellets and over 400 kilogrammes of cannabis and heroin.

Herbert Mpirirwe, a Ugandan national who was recently intercepted in Kivuye Sector in Burera District as he crossed into Rwanda with a sack of cannabis weighing 20 Kilogrammes.

“Previously, I was supplying two local dealers, who would call me and order a particular quantity of cannabis. I would either deliver the narcotics myself to an agreed destination in Rwanda, through a porous border or they would send children to carry them from Uganda. I came to learn that these two clients were arrested and sentenced to life in prison,” Mpirirwe to the media after being paraded by the police.

According to the National Police statistics, drugs delears and users are mainly youth. As the Anti-Narcotics Unit continued with crackdown against drug dealers, Samson Harerimana 22, and Jean de Dieu Bunani, 33 were arrested on February 10 in Bugeshi Sector of Rubavu District that borders Democratic Republic of Congo, with 8000 pellets of cannabis.

According to the Rwanda National Police, Rubavu district is currently mapped as one of the major trafficking routes due to its strategic position on the borderline with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the recent operations conducted in Rubavu and Burera districts, ANU arrested three suspected in the process with 10 Kilogrammess and 1200 pellets of cannabis.