Rwanda National Police in the Northern Province have arrested six people suspected of smuggling Kanyanga and assaulting residents, in an operation supported by drone surveillance technology.
The suspects were apprehended following an incident in which a resident was injured in Manyagiro Sector, Gicumbi District.
Residents say the group had been terrorizing the area, ambushing people on their way home from shopping or work, stealing goods and money, and in some cases assaulting victims.
One resident described how the suspects would snatch items such as foodstuffs from passersby and take money from people’s pockets while also beating them.
Security operations in the area have increasingly relied on drones to monitor suspected smuggling routes and track the movements of perpetrators.
Residents welcomed the arrests and called for enhanced surveillance measures to curb the smuggling of illicit alcohol across the border.
Manyagiro is among border areas frequently affected by the illegal importation of alcoholic beverages from Uganda, which authorities say is often linked to incidents of violence and public disorder.
