Hooked on drugged hookah

Cape Town - 150728 - Pictured is a Stabilisation Unit officer searching members of the public. The Cape Argus accompanied the new Law Enforcement Stabilisation Unit as well as other Law Enforcement departments on a crime operation in Mannenberg. Reporter: Gadeeja Abbas Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 150728 - Pictured is a Stabilisation Unit officer searching members of the public. The Cape Argus accompanied the new Law Enforcement Stabilisation Unit as well as other Law Enforcement departments on a crime operation in Mannenberg. Reporter: Gadeeja Abbas Picture: David Ritchie

Published Jul 30, 2015

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Cape Town - Manenberg drug dealers have found a new way to get kids hooked on drugs - by sneaking narcotics into their hookah flavour.

On Tuesday, the City of Cape Town’s newly launched Stabilisation Unit and Gang and Drugs Task Team confiscated more than 30 packages of hookah flavour mixed with drugs.

A drug task team member - whose identity is being withheld in order not to undermine ongoing operations - said: “The kids are not even aware what is being sold to them. Later they find themselves addicted to drugs and wanting to evolve to more severe drugs like tik or mandrax because of this”.

On Tuesday, a Cape Argus team joined about 30 members of the Stabilisation Unit - armed with protective gear, firearms and balaclavas - as they made their presence felt in one of Cape Town’s most volatile areas.

Five search warrants were executed and 98 stop and searches were held in an attempt to curb drugs and “put an end to gangsterism”.

Officers wore balaclavas to avoid being recognised as many officers were “deeply embedded” in the community - running undercover operations and liaising with informants.

A dozen drug task team members - dressed in plain clothing - charged into the houses of well-known drug merchants. And at times suspects were chased down streets.

During the operation, officers also retrieved one packet of tik, two tik globes and three packets of dagga.

While conducting stop and searches in the area, a machete was confiscated from a group of youths gathered on a street corner.

Four arrests were made, including one in front of the Manenberg Police Station after a suspect tried to stab a resident during a dispute.

The unit’s principle inspector Jason Hamilton said that his team had been “making good progress” since the Stabilisation Unit was launched at the Vygieskraal Stadium over the weekend.

“The unit was launched to tackle drug problems in gang infested areas and when there is an immediate threat. The drug task team focuses on collecting intelligence by interrogating informants,” he said.

One unit member - a former prison warden - said gangs were running the streets like they run the numbers’ gangs in prison.

“Gangsterism in townships is an extension of how prison gangs are run. It’s a vicious cycle.

“Gangs often bankroll the community by providing them with necessities like food and clothes.

“This is entrapment and the community then feel indebted to them - kids are recruited in gangs this way,” he said.

Manenberg locals had mixed emotions about the presence of the drug task team in the area.

Many residents welcomed any form of peace keeping interventions.

Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that if gang members spotted them speaking to the police or the media, they may become targets.

“I feel much safer now. I can walk around and I am not being kept prisoner in my home.

“I just feel more needs to be done to keep the peace because as soon as the police are gone, they start shooting again and it is terrible,” a resident said.

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Cape Argus

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