DURBAN - Three suspects were arrested in two separate incidents and appeared in court on Wednesday after police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal province conducted two successful drug sting operations.
“We will continue with such operations to fight the drug trade in our province,” said acting KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Major-General Thulani Gonya in a statement on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, officers from the Provincial Drug and Firearm Unit conducted an operation in the Richards Bay area, a coastal town situated in northern KZN, about two hours away from Durban.
“It is alleged that the suspect was transporting and distributing drugs to local dealers for packaging and resale,” said Captain Nqobile Gwala of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in a statement on Wednesday.
Gwala said that after an “intense” investigation, a 38-year-old man was arrested in a flat at Arboretum in Richards Bay.
The suspect was found in possession of 27 clear plastic packets of pure heroin with an estimated street value of R80,000 (almost US$5,000).
The suspect appeared before the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court, where he faced charges of possession of drugs.
In the second arrest, police officials from the Paulpietersburg area arrested two young men for the possession of dagga (marijuana).
“Police officers from Paulpietersburg SAPS acted on intelligence yesterday, which indicated that the suspects who were in a bakkie were travelling through Paulpietersburg,” said Gwala.
The vehicle was intercepted by the police.
Upon searching the vehicle, the officers found parcels of compressed dagga weighing about 20kg. The dagga was suspected to have an estimated street value of R95,000 (about US$5,600).
The two suspects, aged 19 and 20, were apprehended and charged with possession of dagga.
Both the suspects appeared before the Paulpietersburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
African News Agency