Durban - The Chatsworth Anti-Drug Forum has welcomed the arrest of three dealers and the seizure of more than R23 000 worth of narcotics as police intensify their war on the drug trade in the area.
But while praising the arrest, Sam Pillay, director of the anti-drug forum said Chatsworth police needed the assistance of specialised drug units.
"The police need to go after the big guys," Pillay said on Wednesday.
"Any arrest of a drug dealer is good news but we need to get specialised units into Chatsworth to arrest the guys on the top of the drug pyramid," he said.
According to police, an appeal to the Chatsworth community to blow the whistle on the illegal drug trade is starting to pay dividends after arrests in the area on Tuesday.
"The SAPS Chatsworth Drug Unit members tasked to root out drug trade conducted a drug operation which resulted in the arrest of three suspects. Police arrested a 22-year-old suspect in Crossmoor area where the suspect was found in possession of 300 green and white capsules suspected to be heroin. Police then proceeded to Ponturn Road in Welbedacht East where two suspects aged 39 and 45 were found in possession of 65 mandrax tablets and 13 pieces of rock cocaine," police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said.
Zwane said that during the operation, police recovered drugs with an estimated street value of more than R10 000 and more than R2300 in cash suspected to be the proceeds of the drug trade.
"The drugs seized will be forwarded for forensic analysis. The suspects were taken to Chatsworth police station for detention and were charged for dealing in drugs. The three suspects will appear in the Chatsworth Magistrates’ Court on 22 August 2018".
Pillay said he hoped the police would make more arrests.
"The police in Chatsworth know who the dealers are. The community knows who the dealers are. What we need is help to bring down the big guys who supply the runners and low-level users," he said.