Photo: Saps
Mpumalanga police arrested a Tanzanian national with dagga worth more than R1 million during the Safer Festive Season Operation inspections conducted in Oshoek port of entry and other parts of Gert Sibande District on Thursday.
According to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, the 28-year-old man was nabbed on the N17 Road by police officers conducting stop-and-searches as part of the operation.
He said the man was driving in a silver Subaru with Gauteng registration number plates.
“His vehicle was stopped and a search was conducted by the vigilant members who discovered a large volume of dagga, weighing about 283 kg, inside some plastic bags wrapped with sellotape,” Mohlala said.
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He said the suspect had been charged with dealing in dagga, with preliminary investigations revealing the man was from Tanzania.
Investigators are working with officials from the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain his status in the country.
Mohlala said more charges could be added against the suspect as the investigation continues.
Mpumalanga provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Daphney Semakaleng, who led the operation, reassured the public that law enforcement agencies were working hard to ensure members of the public enjoy their festive season at peace.
“For us, the arrest demonstrates our unwavering determination to decisively deal with crime during this festive season and we are not going to back down”, she said.
“More so as we are in the midst of the festivities with an influx of people in the province. This is the time when we are stamping down on the authority of the state. We will not leave any stone unturned,”
At the Oshoek Port of Entry, Semakaleng motivated and encouraged law enforcers to execute their duties within the framework of the law.
She also interacted with community members and business operators, warning them about crime patterns during this time of the year.
Police noted that some road crashes were not merely accidents but a result of negligence, with a fully-loaded truck found with completely worn tyres.
Earlier this month police arrested Ambweme Killas in a R4.1 million dagga bust in the Durbanville area in KwaZulu-Natal.
The 44-year-old was arrested during an operation by the Hawks following a tip-off about a suspicious vehicle that was regularly spotted at a storage facility in Durbanville.
Upon searching the property, police found compressed dagga, Crystal Methamphetamine or tik, and an undisclosed amount of cash.
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