Slick police investigations have scuttled plans by two alleged Chatsworth drug kingpins to distribute two million “sugar straws” to pupils and drug addicts in Durban and other areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
The investigations by the Hawks in Durban and Crime Intelligence, which spanned more than four months, dented the hopes of the alleged drug cartel of flooding suburbs like Chatsworth, Phoenix, as well as those in the North Coast and South Coast which are riddled with drugs like “sugars”, heroin and mandrax.
During a raid last week, police seized more than 120 000 readily packed straws of heroin and 8kg of unpacked heroin worth more than R7 million from a home in an exclusive area in Ramsgate.
Police investigations revealed that an Indian businesswoman based in Limpopo who owns the property had no idea that it was being used as a clandestine packing factory by the two alleged drug bosses and their eight co-accused, who are from Malawi and Zimbabwe.
After apparently feeling the heat exerted by the Hawks and Crime Intelligence members, the alleged drug masterminds – Wesley Shunmugam, 28, of Road 502, Croftdene, Chatsworth, and Duman Budhai, 26, of Saffron Hill, Havenside – decided to drop Chatsworth as their base and venture into a secluded and exclusive area in Ramsgate where they leased a property.
The property, with a long concrete driveway, is so obscured that neighbours told POST on Friday they had no idea it was used to package heroin.
On Friday, Shunmugam and Budhai and their co-accused – Zimbabwean nationals Felix Mafudza, 28, Vincent Dbem, 26, Michael Ali, 29, and Malawian nationals Whisper James, 25, Mushley Mbheko, 25 and Justine Gawan, 21, all from the Cocobar Informal Settlement in Chatsworth, made a brief appearance in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court.
Also appearing were Devine Matyora, 26, of 37th Avenue, Umhlatuzana and Adam Ebrahim, (age unknown) of Road 240, Chatsworth.
The accused are facing charges of possessing and dealing in heroin worth more than R7m.
Being held at Westville Prison, they are expected to make bail applications, which the State is opposing, on May 19.
Police said Shunmugam and Budhai were not holding stable jobs and that the heroin, sourced from Afghanistan, was probably smuggled to South Africa via Tanzania.
According to police the repercussions for pupils and others hooked on sugars would have been severe if the alleged drug cartel had its way because two million “sugar straws” would have flooded suburbs.
A police source who did not want to be named said the Ramsgate house resembled a drug factory.
“We seized electronic scales and other equipment. A substantial quantity of straws were cut and were about to be filled with heroin when we disturbed them.
“The key players decided to move away from Chatsworth and set up a base in Ramsgate because they knew that we were closing in on them.
“They underestimated the long arm of the law and the commitment, perseverance and dedication of the Hawks and Crime Intelligence to take drug cartels out of the equation.”
The investigations were led by Lieutenant-Colonel Gavin Jacob of the Hawks in Durban.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, commended the Hawks and Crime Intelligence members for their outstanding work.
She encouraged people to alert police about drug activities in their areas: “Together we can dent the plans of drug peddlars.