Suspected drug dealer dies eating his own stash

File picture: Independent Media

File picture: Independent Media

Published Aug 17, 2017

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Cape Town - A drug dealer, who tried to flee from police, died after he apparently swallowed his own ungah stash.

The drama unfolded on Wednesday morning at Wynberg train station and ended at Lower Piers Road where the 39-year-old man, believed to be a Congolese national, collapsed and died.

This was followed by a tense stand-off between police and the dead man’s friends, who were apparently angry at cops for chasing him and “forcing” him to swallow the dwelms.

Police, neighbourhood watch members and Metro Police monitored the crowd of foreign nationals as the man’s body lay covered with a sheet in the pouring rain.

Local crimefighters say the man was a known drug dealer and that the train station has become a hotspot for drug peddling.

It is believed after cops confronted the man, he swallowed ungah [a form of heroin] and ran.

But he only managed to run 40 metres when he collapsed from an apparent overdose.

Police spokesperson Sinathi Joni says an inquest docket has been opened for investigation and confirms the man was being chased by cops when he died.

Joni would not comment on whether the man had swallowed his own drugs.

“An inquest docket has been registered at Wynberg SAPS after a 39-year-old man collapsed and was later declared deceased by health officials after he was being chased by police during one of their frequently conducted stop-and-searches. Circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.”

Saait Bester, co-ordinator of the Eden Safety and Security neighbourhood watch says they observe drug dealing taking place on a daily basis.

“Wynberg is our area and we patrol there everyday. The hotspot is the station and the transactions take place in broad daylight. They sell ungah on a daily basis,” he says.

“This one died after he swallowed drugs and overdosed after police chased him. The good thing about this incident is that it is showing what is taking place here each day."

Daily Voice

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