Pretoria - Mpumalanga Police seized heroin packs with an estimated value of R2.5-million and arrested three people - two men and a woman - for allegedly dealing in drugs.
Spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said in a statement on Wednesday that the arrest of the suspects, two men aged 39 and 25 as well as a 27-year-old woman, came after the Nelspruit Flying Squad members operationalised information received from the Crime Intelligence Unit about people who were suspected to be carrying drugs.
“They then acted swiftly on the information gathered and spotted a Ford Ecosport Boost, which the suspects were using, parked at Kanyamazane Stadium.”
Hlathi said alert police officers approached the vehicle, ordering the occupants to alight and began thoroughly searching it.
“Three bags full of suspected drugs, one on the driver's seat and two stashed in a compartment situated underneath the front passenger seat were found.
“The drugs worth R2.5m were tested by the White River K9 Unit and confirmed to be heroin and as a result, they were confiscated together with the suspects' vehicle, hence the arrest,” he said.
The three were on Wednesday expected to appear before the Kanyamazane Magistrate's Court facing a charge of dealing in drugs.
Provincial commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, has praised the collaboration displayed by different police units which led to the arrest of the three.
Manamela said drugs were steadily wiping off South Africa’s young people and in the process robbing the nation of future leaders.
“My concern is that the arrested suspects are also falling within the category of young people. That means they have joined a cue to deny their fellow youth a better future by selfishly supplying them with drugs whilst they themselves enjoy a luxurious life from criminal proceeds,” said Manamela.
“I am delighted though, that they have been intercepted before they could circulate their loot.”
In May, chief executive officer of Mobi-Claw 911, Mike Myers said heroin was being added to numerous drugs in order to drive addiction, with new drugs coming onto the market daily, flooding South Africa’s streets.
"They (dealers) are lacing a lot of different things with heroin because it's so addictive in nature. Suppliers will look for lots of avenues to market to people. It's organised crime,” said Myers.
“Drugs are prolific at the moment and I believe heroin and cocaine are coming in through our ports. Drugs are easily available and so common in middle and upper-income suburbs. That also brings that criminal element into a suburb when a vehicle comes in to deliver drugs. It's scary, you don't know what's going on in your neighbour's home.”
One of the most recent forms of heroin to come out of South Africa is heroin in the form of capsules.
IOL