Five suspects arrested as Mpumalanga police seize dagga, crystal meth and mandrax - IOL

Mpumalanga police arrested five people for drug-related offences over a two-day period.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga encountered suspected drug offenders on six separate occasions in various areas within the Gert Sibande District on Wednesday, November 10, and Thursday, November 11.

The police conducted Safer Festive Season Operations in the Mahamba area, Standerton, Piet Retief, and Chrissiesmeer through intelligence-driven efforts, which led to the arrest of five people. 

According to SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, a 30-year-old Eswatini national was arrested along the R543 Road during routine police patrols. 

The man, who was carrying a red bag, was stopped and searched by the police. Police inspected the bag and found rolls of dagga weighing about 2.2 kilograms. 

The suspect was then arrested, and the dagga was confiscated. Police have not determined the estimated street value of the drugs yet. 

In the second incident, police were conducting a stop-and-search operation on the N2 Road when they spotted a white sedan driving at a high speed. 

Ndubane said the driver lost control of the vehicle after noticing the police, resulting in two burst tyres. 

The suspect managed to run out of the vehicle and evade arrest on foot. He reportedly abandoned the car and five bags of dagga. The police seized the vehicle and drugs and launched a search to find the suspect. 

In the third incident, police conducted a stop-and-search in Chrissiesmeer on the N17 road near Ermelo when they stopped a Hyundai company truck carrying two Eswatini nationals on Wednesday, November 11.

Police discovered and seized 15 bags of dagga with an estimated street value of about R50 000. 

In Standerton, police made three drug-related arrests on separate occasions on Wednesday, November 11, through an intelligence-driven operation. 

In the first incident, a 27-year-old male suspect was found in possession of sachets containing suspected crystal meth and suspected mandrax tablets, with an estimated street value of R5 200. 

In another incident, a 27-year-old Nigerian national was arrested for possession of drugs and dealing in drugs. Police found him in possession of suspected crystal meth, suspected madrax tablets and dagga, with a combined estimated street value of about R45 000.

In another area in Standerton, a 46-year-old Nigerian national was arrested after he was allegedly found in possession of 17 sachets of suspected CAT and 11 sachets of suspected meth, with an estimated street value of R4000. 

Ndubane said all the suspects are expected to appear in various Magistrate’s Courts soon on charges related to possession of and dealing in drugs. 

Ndubane said police in Mpumalanga remain committed to intensifying efforts to combat drug-related crime as well as dismantle illegal drug networks operating in the province. 

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, said these arrests should send a message that there is no space for drug dealers. 

“Drugs destroy families, fuel crime, and rob young people of their future,” said Modise. 

He also commended law enforcement officials for their dedication and vigilance, and encouraged community members to continue working with the police by reporting drug-related activities.