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Alleged Durban drug dealers who were arrested with allegedly 20,000 heroin capsules and numerous weapons have licences for all their firearms, including a gold-plated AK-47 replica, says a source.
The source with knowledge of the case said the replica, which caught the attention of the public for its gold finish, was a functioning Chinese replica and not an illegal AK-47.
“At this stage, it is only the drugs, which was valued at R180,000, that they are implicated in.”
On Friday, Phoenix husband and wife Claude, 35, and Celestine Mariah, 37, briefly appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court together with taxi driver Dean Dhanny, 26.
They were granted R5,000 bail each. The State did not oppose their release.
In their submission for bail, the couple said they owned a logistics company with employees who relied on their leadership.
The company, Mariah’s Logistics, nets them around R30,000 per month in income.
The couple were allegedly found with a wide range of firearms and ammunition at their Wareham Place home including two pistols, a 12-gauge shotgun, five magazines, 10 cellphones, 287 rounds of ammunition and digital video recorders.
Officers also seized R19,000 in cash.
They are charged with drug dealing and possession of drugs.
Their next court appearance will be on April 16.
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