Durban - Police are cracking down on drug lords and illegal businesses in Durban.
The metro police and the Provincial Organised Crime Unit kicked off "Operation Beed" on Thursday with the arrest of a Merebank couple.
They were in possession of 500 mandrax tablets, 85 pieces of rock cocaine, 76 ecstasy pills and 48 bags of cocaine worth more than R50 000.
The joint operation also included members of the Umlazi K9 unit and the SAPS National Intervention Unit.
Operation Beed, which will be ongoing, will focus on getting rid of druglords within the eThekwini region.
Last weekend the metro police and the Hawks Organised Crime Unit also carried out a sting operation at the prominent Rocca Bar, a nightclub near Umgeni Road in Durban.
An alleged drug dealer arrested at the club is believed to be a runner involved in a big syndicate.
The police also checked if the business licences of the establishment were in order.
The metro police’s Senior Superintendent Sewpersadh Parbhoo said the owners of the nightclub would be asked to present themselves before a tribunal on a date yet to be confirmed.
Parbhoo said Operation Beed would continue with the goal of nabbing more druglords.
Last week Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer called for the metro police to work with other units to ensure operations were being carried out to identify illegal businesses in the city.
She said business licences and liquor licensing issues were growing concerns in the city.