Police in Burera District arrested two men on Sunday, who were attempting to traffic 10, 080 sachets of an illegal gin called Blue Sky into the country.

The suspects had concealed the contraband in 14 sacks and were arrested after offloading them from a vehicle, Police Spokesperson for the Northern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, said.

"They were intercepted on June 3, around 2am. They are part of a group that traffics drugs into the country through illegal borders; this is the second time one of the two is arrested in similar activities,” Twizeyimana explained.

He went on to explain that, besides the fact that gins packed in non-biodegradable plastic sachets which are banned in Rwanda for being hazardous to the environment, the substance is also banned by the ministerial order nº20/35 of 09/6/2015 determining unauthorized drinks and other controlled substances classified as narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors.

"This implies that whoever is found with this substance will be punished,” Twizeyimana said.

He thanked residents who tipped the police about traffickers of illicit gins.

"Community policing efforts have not been in vain; with the information people provide, we have been able to identify and arrest many traffickers, and that also sends a strong message to even others still involved,” he said.

"We are seeing massive success through ownership and strong partnership; we are receiving much information on drug dealers, which informs successful operations and arrest.”

He pointed out that any person found with drugs or any of the mentioned substance is liable to punishment as stated in article 594 of the penal code.

The legal instrument states that anyone, who unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500,000 to Rwf5 million.

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