Johannesburg – Police working together with soldiers and traffic officers caught a man with dagga worth R2.2 million during a roadblock in the North West.
The roadblock, which was part of an operation by the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Covid-19 team, was on the R30 between Klerksdorp and Orkney at the Uraniaville turn-off.
Colonel Adele Myburg, of the North West police, said officers were doing routine stop-and-searches at around 11am when a white Toyota Camry with Lesotho registration plates was pulled over.
“Upon searching the vehicle, bags of dagga with an estimated street value of R2.2m were found in the boot, the back seat and the spare wheel compartment.”
Myburg said the 34-year-old man, who was travelling alone, was arrested and charged with dealing in drugs.
“We don’t know whether the man is a Lesotho national… investigations will reveal that. We also don’t know where he was coming from or where the dagga was headed,” she said.
Myburg said the vehicle was confiscated.
The suspect was expected to appear before the Orkney Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, lauded all members involved for their effort, saying that drug peddling – especially dagga – was becoming a real challenge in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.
On Monday, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department Drug Enforcement Unit arrested three men who were caught with drugs worth R40 000 in two separate incidents.
In the first incident, two men aged 25 and 25 were nabbed in Brakpan when a body search revealed heroin, a portable digital scale and CAT.
A few hours later, a 53-year-old man was arrested for being in possession of CAT.
The three were charged with the possession off and possible dealing in an illicit substance and were expected to appear in the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court.
IOL