Durban - Seven men that police allege are members of a notorious Phoenix street gang known as the Bloods have been brought from Ebongweni Super Max Correctional Services in Kokstad to Durban to appear in court on charges ranging from possession of drugs to crimen injuria.
Police allege that two of the men, Kevin Periasamy and his brother Kalvin are heads of the gang - a claim that their wives have vehemently denied to the Daily News.
The seven were taken to the maximum security prison in July this year after an anonymous call to authorities claimed they intended to escape.
They are expected to appear in the Verulam Magistrates on Wednesday.
Alongside Kevin and Kalvin in the dock are Jason Alexander, Shaun Mawesa, Justin Williams and Vuyani Nyawose.
They were arrested in January.
Police said they had recovered R97 156 in cash, two pistols, a shotgun, 64 live rounds of ammunition, 1 836 heroin caps, 138 heroin straws, 80 large crack cocaine pieces, 30 mandrax tablets, three bags of cocaine, two ecstasy pills and 186 grams of dagga during the raid.
The men face more than 30 charges, including drug dealing, crimen injuria, robbery, intimidation, kidnapping and assault.
The brother's sister Melissa Misra, Kevin’s wife Desiree and Kalvin’s wife Jearldine, in an interview with the Daily News, they said the brothers were legitimate businessmen running mini-bus taxis, tow trucks, a panel-beating business, a pawn shop and a salon.
They say some of the businesses had closed since their arrest. Both wives said they were debt-ridden after the police seized their assets.
Misra said her brothers had been denied their rights as prisoners. She wondered who made the anonymous call that her brothers were planning to escape from Westville prison.
“The allegations were a hoax. I have seen a pattern where they paint a portrait as if my brothers are dangerous criminals. They found nothing in the prison cells,” she said.
Desiree, who also faces charges of being in possession of drugs, says the drugs were planted. Drug possession charges against her daughter had been withdrawn after no evidence was found to substantiate them.
Daily News