The Police in Rubavu district have arrested a man identified as Gashavu Ngaboyisonga, 26, who was at the time sneaking narcotic drugs into the country through an illegal border post.

Ngaboyisonga was arrested on Friday in Murambi village, Buhaza cell of Rubavu Sector, with over 1600 pellets of cannabis, Police said.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police Spokesperson for the Western region said reliable information about Ngaboyisonga's "criminal business" was provided by local residents.

“The suspect was arrested red-handed after illegally crossing into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 1600 pellets of cannabis. He was heading to Rubavu town," CIP Kayigi explained.

Ngaboyisonga is said to be part of a group that traffics cannabis into the country and distributes to other dealers in Rubavu and Kigali.

CIP Kayigi thanked the residents, who played part in the arrest of Ngaboyisonga and all other drug dealers arrested in the past.

"This partnership and responsive spirit to report drug traffickers and dealers in communities is crucial in order to ultimately break such chains of supply."

“Combatting the vice of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances requires individual and collective ownership. From where we work or live, we have to work together and deny them any space to operate by identifying and reporting those involved so they can be arrested to face justice,” Kayigi emphasized.

According to Article 263 of the Penal Code, any person convicted for “severe drugs” faces between 20 years and life in prison.