Johannesburg - Fifteen people are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Friday after drugs worth R3.2 million and a cash amount of R4.3 million were discovered during a police raid, national police said.
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said a team of policemen carried out 16 search warrants simultaneously in four East London suburbs, namely: Vergenoeg, Parkside, Bramley, Buffalo Flats and a farm in Kei Road on Wednesday.
“Out of the 16 search warrants, recoveries were only made at nine addresses,” Mulaudzi said.
“Police found R3 million in cash stashed away in a vehicle and further probing led the team to Kei Road, where almost R1.6 million worth of Mandrax tablets were found inside a trailer that had a concealed compartment to store and move the drugs.”
Mulaudzi said R1.3 million in cash, two cash-counting machines, as well as at least 2 800 Mandrax tablets worth more than R1.6 million were also seized during the raid.
A total of 115 suspects were arrested and charged for drug dealing, drug possession and possession of items suspected to have been stolen, he said.
The arrests form part of Operation Damon, which was established in January this year, to investigate drug trafficking network in East London, Eastern Cape.
National police commissioner General Riah Phiyega said: “The fact that this operation resulted in such a significant seizure of drugs and cash shows the excellent work the police are doing to reduce the influx of drugs in our communities.”
Acting head of the Hawks, Major General Mthandazo Ntlemeza said Damon was another example of the alliance between various police directorates. “Our multifaceted approach involving intelligence gathering, enhanced law enforcement, prevention and intervention, will make a real difference in cracking down on the manufacturing and supply of illicit drugs.”
Operation Damon is comprised of officials from Hawks, Crime Intelligence, the Tactical response Team, Public Order Policing, the Forensic Science Laboratory and the K9 Unit.
ANA