PICS: Police destroy drugs worth R90 million in Cape Town

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola presided over the destruction of drugs worth R90 million in the Western Cape on Thursday morning.

According to the police, these drugs were confiscated during day-to-day policing operations across the country.

This is the fourth drug destruction in this financial year; the most recent one was in Gauteng in October, where R800 million worth of drugs were destroyed.

The drugs included tik, cocaine and mandrax.

The drugs were destroyed after the conclusion of a court order confirming the finalisation of cases.

Drugs in Western Cape

The SAPS said the ongoing fight against the distribution and dealing in drugs in the province has yielded positive results in recent months, with a number of busts made.

In one of the province’s biggest busts in April last year, police received information about a possible drug consignment at business premises situated at the Airport Industrial and acted on it.

They discovered 16 boxes containing 140 sealed bricks of cocaine with an estimated value of R84 million. The members seized the find weighing approximately 140kg.

No arrest was made.

In November, police confiscated drugs with an estimated street value of R1.4 million during an intelligence driven operation at two premises in Thembalethu and George.

They confiscated 19 117 mandrax tablets and 1.3kg of tik. A 33-year-old woman was arrested.

Last Friday, police in Plettenberg Bay pulled over a Chevrolet bakkie and found packets of Tik stashed inside. They confiscated 3.08kg of tik and arrested the driver. The vehicle was also seized.

It is believed the drugs were destined for delivery in George.

On Sunday, police arrested a man in Voortrekker Road, Goodwood, after allegedly being found with drugs. The drugs consisted of mandrax tablets, ecstasy tablets and a substantial quantity of cocaine in his vehicle.

An undisclosed amount of cash, believed to be proceeds of the illicit drug trade, was found.

Another bust was made on the same day at a fruit and veg shop in Gugulethu, where the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe police officers for his freedom.

Police seized an undisclosed amount of cash, 118 dagga bankies, 127 dagga stops, one parcel of dagga and one bag with loose dagga as evidence.

On Monday, police seized drugs with an estimated street value of about R1 million on the N2 highway at Plettenberg Bay.

A 30-year-old man was arrested.