‘Dirty work’: Cleaner arrested in alleged Wynberg court contraband plot - IOL

Contraband allegedly found in cleaner's office.

A cleaner allegedly used his position at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court to supply detainees with drugs and mobile phones—until police caught him during an alleged handover inside the building.

A follow-up search of his office allegedly uncovered hundreds more Mandrax tablets, crystal meth, cocaine, cannabis, mobile phones and SIM cards, police said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala said a tip-off led Wynberg SAPS to the cleaner.

“Wynberg SAPS members received intelligence about a cleaner employed at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court who intended to hand over contraband to a detainee on Monday, 28 September 2026,” Gwala said.

“They went to the mentioned court at about 7.30pm and caught the suspect in the act. Police seized a bag containing 88 mandrax tablets, 10 packets of tobacco, seven packets of crystal meth, five packets of dagga, a cellular telephone with two sim cards and a charging cable. 

“The 42-year-old male suspect was arrested on the spot for possession of illegal drugs.”

Cops added that on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the members conducted a search at the suspect’s office in the court building.

There they found a bag that allegedly belongs to the suspect and inside were 402 Mandrax tablets, 41 sachets of crystal meth, one packet of cocaine, five packets of dagga, 14 cellular telephones with 16 various network sim cards and two cellular telephone chargers. 

The bag with its contents was seized and booked in as an exhibit.

The suspect made his first court appearance before the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.