Alleged Durban drug dealer Ronny Johnny Smith has 11 days in which to challenge the Asset Forfeiture Unit's swoop on his Bluff home on Friday aimed at seizing part of his R50-million wealth that was allegedly built up through selling drugs.
Police have been on to Smith for a long time and two undercover operations were mounted against him. The first operation was abandoned when the police operatives were exposed.
The second operation was compromised when a police officer allegedly became corrupt and started running drugs.
But now the Asset Forfeiture Unit has struck against Smith, with its raid on his home at 171 Maxwell Avenue, Bluff. The unit believes it has nabbed a king-pin in the Durban drug trade. The message from the unit is clear: high-flying criminals can expect to have their ill-gotten wealth snatched away.
To get it back, the alleged criminals have to persuade a High Court judge that they obtained their wealth legally.
The raid against Smith was based in part on an affidavit filed in the Durban High Court by Captain Johan Swanepoel, of the Organised Crime Unit. He was project leader of Operation Indiana, which investigated a drug syndicate involving Smith, Asgar Hoosen Ebrahim (Butch), Andrew Chetty (Maxi) and Vusi Radebe.
Swanepoel said: "I have known Maxi and Butch for a considerable period of time and I am familiar with their associates in the drug world."
Other people he named in this "drug world" in his affidavit, and based on taped conversations, are: "Barbara", a known drug dealer in Johannesburg; Michael Tyrone Barnabas, a convicted drug dealer; Martin Luther, a convicted drug dealer; Nithia Chinnasamy, a gangster in Phoenix who is at present on trial on a charge of murder and "Bimbo" Sagren Pillay, at present facing charges for dealing in and conspiracy to deal in drugs.
In another affidavit, Inspector Amod Khalil Hoosen, of the Organised Crime Unit, said: "Smith is the king-pin of a sophisticated and currently active drug syndicate."
The property that the Asset Forfeiture Unit seized was the proceeds of these criminal activities, Hoosen said.
At present Smith is accused in a trial set down for two weeks in January 2000 in the Middelburg regional court. He faces charges of dealing in drugs and conspiracy to deal in drugs and was released on bail of R50 000.
Hoosen said during 1993 he became aware that there was a steady increase in the traffic and sale of mandrax tablets in the greater Durban area.
Hoosen felt at the time there had to be a key figure who was receiving the drugs in big quantities and distributing them to other dealers. "I identified Ebrahim as such a key figure."