Suspected drug kingpin among 200 arrested in Hillbrow crime crackdown

A suspected drug kingpin was arrested at a residential building in Hillbrow where authorities discovered crystal meth and other illicit substances being produced, Johannesburg officials announced on Wednesday.

The arrest was part of a larger crime prevention initiative that has netted over 200 suspects.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku detailed the operation dubbed NomakanjaniManjeNamhlanje, which translates roughly to “No matter what, now and today”.

“This operation is a direct response to crime and lawlessness: The city is taking action,” Tshwaku declared.

Hillbrow building used as drug manufacturing hub

According to Tshwaku, the joint operation involving the City of Joburg, Johannesburg Metro Police Department, South African Police Service and the Xolani Khumalo Foundation discovered a variety of illegal goods at Cape Agulhas building in the Johannesburg inner city.

The multi-agency operation uncovered a substantial cache of contraband that poses significant public health risks.

Officials discovered fake tobacco products, counterfeit alcohol, falsified children’s food products and unauthorised pharmaceutical tablets.

“We found some illegal tobacco, quite a lot. We found illegal alcohol. We found illegal kids’ stuff. And also we found some paste that looks like some heroin supply,” Tshwaku said.

“If you come into the building, there’s a lot of storage places in the building itself. But look, we went in at level three.”

♦️ICYMI♦️

Public Safety, SAPS, Immigration, JMPD, and the Xolani Khumalo Foundation uncovered a shocking stash of illegal goods during today’s operation in Hillbrow. Among the discoveries were fake tobacco, counterfeit alcohol, fake children's food products, and unauthorized… pic.twitter.com/l7r5iQdr6r

— COJ People’s MMC Public Safety (@PublicSafetyMMC) March 5, 2025

Tshwaku said they received intelligence that the drug manufacturers were working on the top floor.

The alleged kingpin, whose identity has been hidden until his court appearance, is reportedly from Nigeria.

The suspect denied the allegations, insisting that police claims are false.

He was apprehended following a tip-off regarding drug crimes inside the building.

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Ongoing citywide crime crackdown

The Hillbrow raid is part of a broader initiative targeting illegal activities throughout Johannesburg, including operations at the MTN Noord Taxi Rank.

Tshwaku emphasised that these efforts would continue consistently.

“Now it’s time to work. That’s why now we are going to be on the ground and it’s not going to stop.

“On a daily basis there’s going to be a building we’re going to raid and we’re sending a stern warning to all the building hijackers, we are coming for you,” he warned.

Intergovernmental collaboration

When questioned about collaboration with national government ahead of an anticipated presidential visit, Tshwaku highlighted existing intergovernmental relations (IGR) that facilitate cooperation between city and national law enforcement.

“We have signed an IGR with the national police,” he noted, adding that they work closely with the premier and hold weekly IGR meetings.

“We have even now signed a memorandum of agreement that there will be no limitation.”

This agreement allows for seamless pursuit of criminals across jurisdictional boundaries.

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MMC calls for additional resources to combat COJ crime

Tshwaku identified several areas where additional support from national government would be beneficial, particularly regarding housing solutions for residents of dangerous buildings.

He noted that current laws prevent authorities from evicting residents without providing alternative accommodation, creating challenges for enforcement.

Tshwaku also called for more police presence, updated bylaws and increased inspection capacity.

“We must have a department of inspectorate. We must have more inspectors on environmental health for the practitioners. We must have more inspectors on building control,” the MMC added.

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