Cape Town - Smokers feeling hard-done by the steep prices charged for cigarettes, deemed contraband due to lockdown regulations have reported their local tuckshops to the police.
Police officers, based in Strandfontein visited several spaza shops over the weekend where they found large quantities of cigarettes and flavoured hookah, which they confiscated. All shop owners found to have been contravening lockdown rules were fined.
In Tafelsig, a 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly dealing in drugs. The suspect was found with 26 zip lock bags containing tik and money. He is in police custody.
Meanwhile, in Fish Hoek on the road towards Kommetjie, a man was arrested at a roadblock for contravening the Disaster Management Act after he was found transporting 24 bottles of vodka, which were confiscated.
In Rose Street, Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain a man who stays in Philippi East was arrested for allegedly dealing in drugs. He was arrested at 6.45pm, after officers found 8 zip lock bags with tik and R2 895 in cash in his possession.
Bales of compressed dagga confiscated in the vicinity of Watergate Mall. Picture: Supplied
In a separate incident in Mitchells Plain, a law enforcement officer in the vicinity of the Watergate Mall noticed suspicious persons carrying items from a vehicle at a house in Springwater Street. Inspector Wayde Dyson said that on enquiry one of the suspects said that the bags contained food, and that they were delivering it for Ramadaan.
“The officer on the scene called for backup and when his team arrived, they took a closer look at the items and found dagga. About 29 bales of compressed dagga were confiscated, estimated to be worth over a million rand,” said Dyson.
Also found at the scene were three cars suspected to have been stolen and a number of car parts, raising suspicion of a car theft ring also operating from the premises. Three suspects were apprehended and are in police custody.
In Nyanga on Saturday evening the community library was broken into. Community Services and Health mayco member Zahid Badroodien said that a fridge, a microwave oven, small sound system and some CDs and DVDs were stolen. “At this point there are no leads and no arrests have been made."
@TheCapeArgus