Durban - Police came down hard on shebeen owners, drug dealers and addicts during a crime clampdown in Phoenix,north of Durban.
Police officers from the Provincial Task Team conducted operations aimed at ridding the Phoenix policing area of drugs and other criminal activities said Colonel Thembeka Mbele, a KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson.
The police operations commenced on Saturday.
Mbele said eight suspects aged between 20 and 46 were arrested in different locations including Foresthaven; Caneside and Brookdale for possession of drugs.
The suspects were found in possession of heroin; cocaine powder and rock cocaine. They were charged and detained at the Phoenix police station
"Police proceeded to Starwood where a 30-year-old suspect was arrested with 390 capsules of heroin. He was charged for dealing in drugs. Police further closed down three illegal liquor outlets in Mount Moriah; Brookdale as well as Redfern. The owners were charged for dealing in liquor without a license. Two suspects were charged for not complying with the conditions of their liquor license. Liquor that was found in the premises were seized,"Mbele said.
During the operation, drugs with a combined street value of more than R30,000-00 were confiscated.
The arrested suspects will be appearing at the Phoenix Magistrates Court on Monday.