Ugandan national drug trafficker, Herbert Mpirirwe
Rwanda National Police (RNP), on Tuesday, February 9, paraded to the media one Herbert Mpirirwe, a suspected major drug trafficker, who was arrested in Burera District on Monday.
Mpirirwe, a Ugandan national was intercepted in Kivuye Sector in Burera District as he crossed into Rwanda with a sack of cannabis weighing 20kgs.
While speaking to journalists at the Police metropolitan headquarters in Remera, Mpirirwe admitted that this was one of many deliveries he orchestrated over a period of time.
He also talked of how he successfully trafficked 10kgs of cannabis into Rwanda from Uganda, recently.
“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,” narrated Mpirirwe.
Following the arrest of his two former clients, Mpirirwe went dark, until recently. “I was recently contacted by other Rwandan drug dealers placing orders, I was arrested as I delivered 2okgs of cannabis,” Mpirirwe explained.
RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera said that Mpirirwe will be charged with trafficking and distributing narcotics in Rwanda.
“This was not his time; Mpirirwe was reported by other drug dealers arrested recently, whom he had supplied 10kgs of cannabis,” CP Kabera said.
He advised that no good will come out of trafficking, selling and abusing drugs apart from arrest, imprisonment, poisoning people and fueling other crimes committed by people under the influence of drugs.
CP Kabera commended the role of the public in particularly fighting drug-related crimes through provision of credible information on trafficker, local distributors and dealers in their communities.
RNP, he said, mapped out major trafficking routes especially districts bordering neighboring countries from where narcotics are trafficked.
Burera alongside Gicumbi, Rubavu, Rusizi, Kirehe and Nyagatere are among the identified major trafficking routes.
Cannabis is classified as a Cannabis is classified as a “very several drug” under the Ministerial Order No.001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization.
Under article 263 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, anyone convicted for dealing in “severe narcotic drugs” faces between 20 years and life in prison and a fine of between Frw20 million Frw30 million. (End)