PRETORIA – The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested two men travelling in separate vehicles, transporting Mandrax with a street value of more than R4.3 million on the N2, from Gauteng to Cape Town.
The first vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz matching the description of the information which the police received was spotted on the N2 near Grabouw, while en route to Cape Town.
“A joint police team pulled the vehicle over and conducted a search that resulted in the discovery of 24 packets of Mandrax totalling 24 000 capsules, worth about R840 000 on the black market. The drugs were found hidden behind the back seat in a false compartment,” the police said in a statement.
A 35-year-old suspect was arrested and the vehicle along with the drugs were seized for further investigation.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Grabouw Magistrate’s Court on January 3.
Meanwhile, the second vehicle was spotted on the N2 in Heidelberg. Upon searching the car, police found 100 000 Mandrax in 100 packets hidden in a makeshift compartment under the vehicle.
A 52-year-old suspect was arrested, and the drugs and vehicle impounded. The suspect is due to appear in the Heidelberg Magistrate’s Court on January 3.
The acting provincial head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Brigadier Mushavhaduvha Ramovha, applauded the joint police team for their collaborative efforts.
“I also want to plead with the community to always act positively against wrongdoing by reporting all criminality to the police for investigation, so that we can act timeously and catch the perpetrators,” he said.
IOL