Hawks nab suspect with R3 million worth of drugs

A Cape Town man has been bust with more than 80 000 mandrax tablets on Friday. Photo: Hawks

A Cape Town man has been bust with more than 80 000 mandrax tablets on Friday. Photo: Hawks

Published Oct 1, 2021

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CAPE TOWN – A man is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court after he was arrested for being in possession of drugs worth R3 million.

At about 8am on Friday, members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau team (SANEB) assisted by Crime Intelligence(WC) SAPS K9 Unit embarked on an operation in Parklands.

According to Western Cape provincial Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, the team of officers executed a search warrant at a house in Westleton Way.

She said the team pounced on the unsuspecting man who was found with canvas carry bags filled with 86 900 mandrax tablets.

“Uninterruptedly, the suspect was also found with cash of R20 000 during a second follow-up search. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is over R3 million,” Hani said.

She said the 52-year-old man was subsequently arrested and is expected to appear in court on Monday, on charges of dealing in drugs.

In a separate incident, Hani said Nzaweka Tawule, 45, was sentenced in the George Regional Court on charges of contravention of the National Heritage Resources Act after he stole from the Outeniqua Transport Museum.

She said in December 2020, it was discovered some of the steam locomotives on display at the museum were stolen and others damaged.

“An investigation was conducted which led to the arrest of Tawule in May 2021. Thick-walled copper pipes were recovered in his possession.

“He was positively linked to the theft of some of the steam locomotives,” Hani said.

Tawule was convicted on charges of theft and malicious damage to property in August and was sentenced to two 12-month imprisonment sentences which the court ordered to run concurrently and a further 24-month suspended sentence.

The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

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