Drug suspect attempts to fight policemen
One suspect was handcuffed to a wheelbarrow after attempting to fight with two officers.
With the intent of weeding out drug dealers, Madadeni SAPS conducted a raid and stop and search operation during which they patrolled the streets of the township.
Police officers confiscated 74 pokes of dagga and one quarter tablet of mandrax during the operation. Two of the suspects were taken in without incident, while a third decided to put up a fight.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Enos Mdhlalose and Captain Mangaliso Mabizela from the Crime Prevention Unit, they were patrolling near shops owned by foreign nationals, owing to a spate of crimes in that area. While patrolling, the two officers spotted a man fleeing from them.
“We knew there was a house in the area selling dagga and we followed the suspect to his house and demanded that he let us in to do a search,” explained Cpt Mabizela.
Instead of co-operating, the suspect pushed the police officers aside and denied them entry, a situation which culminated in a fight between the suspect and a police officers. However, Cpt Mabizela managed to handcuff the suspect to a nearby wheelbarrow.
“I saw him come from a corner of his house, so I went there first and found a hole covered with a piece of cardboard and sand. When I opened the hole, I found the dagga he had hidden.”
Upon being rooted out, the culprit gave up and apologised to the two police officers for his behaviour. He will be charged with resisting arrest, assault on a police officer and drug possession. Both Lt-Col Mdhlalose and Cpt Mabizela feel drug usage plays a large part in other crimes such as burglary.
“Drugs cause a lot of worries for us and we hope that we can get all the drug lords behind bars so the community can start feeling safe again,” concluded Cpt Mabizela.
