Westville ‘drug house’ stands empty

Durban06112014The drug house in Konigkramer Ave, Westville.Picture:Marilyn Bernard

Durban06112014The drug house in Konigkramer Ave, Westville.Picture:Marilyn Bernard

Published Nov 7, 2014

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Durban - An alleged “drug house” in Westville has been left unoccupied since Tuesday night, when three men were arrested there in connection with manufacturing drugs.

There was no sign of human activity at 22 Konigkramer Avenue, but a Daily News team found six large German Shepherds and heard two smaller dogs barking in the backyard.

A well-placed source said the house was believed to belong to businessman Gregory Ayres, who owned nightclubs – Keys on Florida, in Florida Road, Morningside, and Keys on Davenport, in Davenport Road, Glenwood.

Ayres, 45, was arrested at the Middelburg Toll Plaza along with his business partner, Bulgarian national Valari Nikolov, 41, during a joint operation by the National Crime Intelligence Unit, the National Investigation Unit, and the Hawks. Police said they found 600 000 ecstasy tablets worth R85 million in their possession.

National police spokesman, Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale, said the pair had been travelling on the N4 to Durban at the time.

Ayres and Nikolov appeared at the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where their bail application was postponed to next Thursday.

The same night, police raided the Westville house and arrested the homeowner and two other men for possession of chemicals used to manufacture drugs.

“The team recovered precursor chemicals which are commonly used in the manufacturing of drugs, particularly cocaine.

“They also recovered a bulk of powdered chemicals which are suspected to have been used in manufacturing illicit narcotics,” said Makgale.

People living in the suburb were reluctant to talk to the Daily News, saying they feared for their lives.

“These people will come kill us if we say anything. Drug dealers are dangerous,” said a neighbour.

The neighbour added: “We had never got a bad smell from there. There was never any noise or anything like that.”

The small building attached to the main house where the chemicals were allegedly found had no curtains on the windows and had not been cordoned off by police.

A closer look revealed bare mattresses, several blankets, spray deodorant cans and muscle building supplements.

Clothes and shoes were strewn all over the bare concrete floor.

The lights had been left on.

The large dogs, visible in the front lawned section of the house, appeared healthy but aggressive.

The Kloof and Highway SPCA’s general manager, Barbara Patrick, said while they had not been called in, they had sent an inspector to the property on Thursday and left a notice on the gate, notifying the owners of the visit.

“We’ve left food and water for them (the dogs) and will go back tomorrow morning to check if our notice has been received,” she said. “We will decide on how to proceed following that visit.”

Two luxury vehicles – a silver Mercedes 4x4 and sedan – were parked behind a chained gate.

Police said the men were to have appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

The busts follow high profile drug-related arrests in the past few months.

In August, two luxury houses in Kloof were found by police to be used as drug labs. Police initially thought they had found pure heroin worth R3 billion on the premises during the June 24 raid, but forensic analysis revealed methaqualone worth about R32m.

In July police seized a pressing and drying machine and chemicals believed to be used in the manufacture of mandrax, in a building adjoining a Waterfall house.

Daily News

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