Police continues to rid Western Cape communities of illicit drugs and firearms

Continued efforts to rid Western Cape communities of the scourge of drugs and illicit firearms through strategic deployment in the Southern Cape paid off when members seized drugs to an estimated street value of approximately R400 000-00 during an intelligence-driven operation.

On Tuesday, 25 January 2022 at about 03:00, members of Crime Intelligence, Public Order Police, and Eden Cluster Crime Combatting Team, armed with a search warrant, pounced on a house at Kwanonqaba. Upon searching the residence the team found a pistol and empty magazine with one round of ammunition hidden in the bedroom. Police confiscated the firearm and arrested two occupants, a 29-year-old woman, and a 35-year-old man, on charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Later the same day, 25 January 2022 at about 11:10, Rural Flying Squad members and Provincial Traffic officials continued with their strategic deployment along the entry and exit routes to the province when they conducted a vehicle checkpoint on the N1 near Beaufort West. The members stopped a delivery truck that was en route to the Cape Metropole. A search of the vehicle ensued when more than 3000 bundles of Khat estimated at more than R315 000-00 were found in the boxes at the back of the truck. This find resulted in the subsequent arrest of the driver and his passenger.

The suspects, aged 27 and 38, are each facing a charge of dealing drugs.

In the meantime, also on Tuesday at about 11:20, Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Unit members swiftly responded to information about an Opel Corsa with a consignment of drugs on board. The members later spotted the vehicle parked at a shopping center at Beacon Way, Plettenberg Bay. They found the driver of the vehicle in the vicinity and proceeded with a search of his vehicle. During the search, members found 1111 Mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R67 000-00 were found under the driver’s seat. The CPU members confiscated the consignment and arrested the 43-year-old suspect on a charge of dealing drugs.

All these suspects remain in police custody. They are expected to appear in various local courts later this week.

Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, expressed his gratitude towards the vigilance and commitment displayed by members deployed to rid communities of illicit firearms and drugs. He said: “These confiscations and arrests are in line with the policing priorities of the Western Cape, to disarm criminals as well as to eradicate trafficking and distribution of drugs in this province. These confiscations and arrests form part of concerted efforts by police to safeguard the public and bring those who threaten the safety and security of communities to the book”.