Video: Dagga worth R1.5m seized in biggest Tshwane drug bust
Two men were arrested after police found drugs hidden in a diesel tank trailer that was en route to Johannesburg from Mpumalanga.
Tshwane metro police made a historic breakthrough in their fight against drugs following the arrest of two suspects transporting compressed dagga estimated to be valued at over R1.5m.
The two men were travelling from Mbombela in Mpumalanga to Johannesburg when they were apprehended, following an anonymous tip-off, on the N1 highway next to Centurion yesterday.
The dagga was concealed in a diesel tank trailer to avoid raising suspicion, however, a swift response from metro police ensured that the vehicle was stopped and the dagga was found after a thorough search.
Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) chief of police Yolanda Faro says this is the biggest drug bust in Tshwane.
“We are still verifying the quantity of the dagga, but the estimated street value is R1.5m. This is one of the largest drug busts for TMPD and we are very proud of the unit.”
The suspects, aged between 30 and 37, have been charged with possession and drug trafficking.
“We are still investigating the origin of the dagga, but we know the drugs were transported from Nelspruit and [they] were heading to Johannesburg.”
Faro says the drugs were put in a diesel trailer tank so that a police dog could not sniff it out. However, with the TMPD drug unit’s expertise, they discovered it.
She says in terms of dealing with drugs in Tshwane, the TMPD is working closely with the police’s crime intelligence and other law enforcement agencies.
“We have a drug unit which solely focuses on drugs and [is] identifying drug houses in the community so that we clean the capital city,” Faro says.
She adds that they are also working with the community in other operations and following up on tip-offs.
“We get information from the public and we will continuously follow up on any tip-off.”
She says the TMPD will strengthen its drug-busting operations to clean the streets.
“We will not only wait for tip-offs get all boots on the ground to fight drugs.”
Faro encourages people to report any incident of drug dealing.
“We can assure the community that together we can fight this scourge.”
She says the case is under investigation.
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