Johannesburg – An alleged runaway drug kingpin has been arrested in Kempton Park, the Hawks said on Friday.
The 45-year-old Nigerian national had been instructed to hand himself over to authorities following a raid on a crystal meth drug laboratory in December last year.
Hawks spokesperson, Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, said the Hawks' South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) made the arrest on Thursday afternoon.
According to the Hawks, police raided the premises and seized drugs, chemicals and drug manufacturing equipment with an estimated value of R3 million.
"Two Taiwanese, Chi-Yu Fan, 38, and Chi-Chin Fan, 31, and Mozambican duo, Orcidio Sitoe, 29, and Peter Ngwenya, 26, were arrested and charged with Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992."
A Nigerian national was also sought and ordered to hand himself over to police in the company of his legal representative, but he failed to do this and a warrant of arrest was issued by the Benoni Magistrate's Court.
The Hawks finally managed to catch up with him on Thursday and according to Mulamu, "he was charged with Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992 and will make a brief appearance at the Benoni Magistrate's Court today".
Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, Major General Prince Mokotedi, commended the members responsible for arresting the alleged kingpin.
"We shall continue to tear apart the strongholds of drug lords as we remain unambiguous in our fight against drugs from communities which is included on our mandate," he said.
The four who were arrested during the raid are still in custody and their case has been postponed to February 10 for further investigation.