DURBAN - Two suspected drug manufacturers appeared in the Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested in connection with drugs worth an approximate R254 million in 2018.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said Fazel Sallie, 59, and Chalden Royston briefly appeared in the Harding Magistrate’s Court for manufacturing as well as supplying drugs at Little Farm, Harding, in July 2018.
“The two accused were arrested by Hawks members from Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime Investigation after they handed themselves over yesterday morning, while the owner of the farm, Haseena Heslop, 75, was arrested on Monday and was released on R30 000 bail,” Mhlongo said.
He said, on July 25, 2018, Hawks officers swooped in on the farm after receiving information about drug manufacturing activities.
“A search was conducted, and members found 3 230 000 mandrax tablets, 72.15kg of powder, 2 225 litres of substances used to manufacture drugs and paraphernalia. The street value of the seized drugs was approximately R254 million,” Mhlongo said.
He said two of the suspects were arrested at the scene, and the third was arrested later.
“Their charges were provisionally withdrawn for intensive investigation purposes, and they will be summoned back to court. Sallie and Royston were also granted R30 000 bail each, and they will reappear together with their co-accused on March 7, 2022.”
Meanwhile, the Hawks made South Africa’s first huge cocaine bust of the year after recently seizing 500kg of cocaine estimated at a street value of R150 million in Durban.
Mhlongo said officers had received information about a suspicious consignment, and they proceeded to the scene.
“Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation seized 500kg of cocaine at one of the depots in Durban,” Mhlongo said.
“The street value of the seized drugs is approximately R150 million.”
Mhlongo said no arrests had been made at this stage, but the investigation continued.
Last year, various law enforcement agencies intercepted more than R2 billion worth of cocaine.
That did not include some of the “smaller” cocaine seizures, which run into the millions.
The seizures included the 973 blocks of compressed cocaine with an estimated value of R583 million found in compartments of a fishing vessel off the Saldanha coast to an estimated R20m worth of cocaine that washed up at Jeffreys Bay main beach.
Daily News