By Everson Luhanga
Police officials destroyed drugs worth over R90-million in Cape Town on Thursday.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the drugs, including tik, cocaine and mandrax, were confiscated during police operations in the Western and Eastern Cape at roadblocks and during tracing operations.
She said this is the fourth drug destruction process this year. The most recent drug destruction took place in Gauteng in October 2023 where R800-million worth of drugs were destroyed. In this financial year alone, close to a billion rand worth of drugs have been destroyed.
“In the 2022/2023 financial year, six tons of drugs to the value of R2-billion were destroyed,” she said.
The drugs being destroyed include those that were seized during the following drug busts:
• In Vredenburg police used information and went to an address where a truck loaded with R10-million worth of mandrax tablets was seized. Four suspects were arrested and one of the suspects, Hosia Mbuluheni Mathono, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
• In Beaufort West, Mandrax worth R2.5-million was seized and the accused was convicted and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
• Also in Beaufort West, R18-million worth of tik was seized. The accused were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
• In Swellendam, R4.5-million worth of Mandrax tablets were seized. The accused persons were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
The National Commissioner of Saps, General Fannie Masemola who led the operation says police are registering great successes at intercepting drugs in the country.
“In the past three months, police have seized cocaine worth R200-million in various drug busts at our ports of entry,” said General Masemola.
“The first two consignments of cocaine were seized at the Durban harbour in October and the other major bust worth R65-million was in November at Gqeberha seaport.
“This drug destruction demonstrates the relentless efforts of our men and women in blue to remove these drugs that destroy lives and livelihoods.”
Pictured above: Police seizing the drugs.
Image source: Supplied
