Cape Town - It was a busy week of cracking down on drug-related crimes for the City of Cape Town’s enforcement officers.
Some drug dealers proved they would go to great lengths to hide their illegal product from officers – while in another matter, officers arrested a homeless woman who had been living in a tent in Wynberg for allegedly dealing drugs.
The homeless woman was apprehended by law enforcement officials for being in possession of 209 packets of tik and about 60 mandrax tablets.
Law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said: “Law enforcement officers working in the Wynberg area received information from a member of the public of a homeless female suspect in Ebor Road, who was living in a tent and dealing in drugs.”
“Officers went to the tent and after an interview with the suspect, they found 209 packets of tik and 60 mandrax tablets. The suspect was arrested and taken to Wynberg SAPS, where she was formally charged. This area is a hotspot and many complaints are received from residents in the area about drug-related criminal activity,” said Dyason.
City of Cape Town's metro police spokesperson Ruth Solomons said that on Thursday, metro police officers attached to the Tactical Response Unit in the meantime arrested three suspects in Mitchells Plain and one in the Parow for various offences which include illegal possession of drugs and possession of an imitation firearm.
“Officers on patrol in Rocklands approached and searched a suspect who couldn’t stand still during the interview. He was literally quaking in his shoes and officers decided to look under them.
“They discovered a packet containing two sachets of tik and 10 units of heroin. The 31-year-old was arrested for the illegal possession of drugs,” Solomons said.
Earlier in the afternoon officers had received a tip-off about drug dealing at a residence in Platteklip Road. With permission of the owner, members searched the premises and found a 34-year-old female suspect in possession of 10 whole mandrax tablets.
She was arrested for the illegal possession of drugs.
Solomons added: “Officers noticed a suspicious male loitering on the corner of Weltevreden and Spine Roads, but when he saw them he took off.
“The officers pursued him and he pitched an item later recovered and found to be an imitation firearm. The 18-year-old suspect was chased down, arrested and charged for the illegal possession of an imitation firearm.”
Meanwhile, officers in Parow arrested a man for the illegal possession of drugs after they found two sachets of tik hidden in a place he didn’t think they would look.
“Officers searched four suspects in Carstan Street when they found the drugs concealed in a secret pocket of the culprit’s mask. The 33-year-old was subsequently arrested for illegal possession of drugs.
“The suspects were detained at the Mitchells Plain and Parow police stations respectively.”
In separate incidents earlier this week, police arrested two suspects, a man and woman for the possession of illegal firearms, ammunition and drugs.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said: “Police arrested a 31-year-old male at NY 152 in Gugulethu, for being in possession of drugs worth an estimated street value R9000.
“In an unrelated operation, police arrested a 33-year-old female for the possession of an unlicensed 9mm pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition. Police were led to the addresses by a tip-off which prompted the search operation. Once charged, the suspects are due to make their respective court appearances in the Athlone Magistrate Court to face the charges against them.”
Meanwhile in Brackenfell, police are investigating a case of attempted kidnapping after unknown men attempted to grab a 14-year-old girl into their vehicle on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the police, the girl was walking home from school at about 3.15pm when a blue Volkswagen Polo with three occupants allegedly stopped next to her in Paradys Street, Brackenfell.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “The suspects spoke to her in Afrikaans and asked if she knew where Green Point was before allegedly attempting to grab her. Fortunately, the girl was quick and ran in the opposite direction where she stopped a delivery vehicle for help. The blue Polo, with an unknown registration number, fled the scene.
“The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is kindly requested to contact Warrant Officer Raymond Saville of Brackenfell Detective Branch on 079 522 1790 or Crime Stop on 0860 010 111.”