SAPS destroys R800 million worth of drugs seized
SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola was also when R800 million worth drugs seized from various operations were destroyed.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has destroyed drugs worth R800 million that were confiscated during day to day policing operations across the country.
The drugs which include cocaine, heroine, mandrax and marijuana were destroyed on Thursday, 26 October in Johannesburg.
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DRUGS WORTH R800 MILLION DESTROYED BY POLICE
SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said this is the third drug destruction process in this financial year; the most recent destruction was in Cape Town in September, where 1.7 tons valued at R170 million was destroyed.
Mathe said in the 2022/2023 financial year, 20.8 tons drugs with a street value of R2 billion were destroyed.
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It is worth noting that in today’s destruction, the drugs that were destroyed were linked to a number of high-profile cases including the following:
In Maydon Wharf, more than one ton of cocaine worth R400 million was seized.
This drug bust happened in August 2022 when Ebrahim Kara, Elias Radebe, and Meshack Ngobese were arrested in Cape Town after police, and the drugs stopped a truck transporting more than 600 blocks of cocaine were discovered hidden in false wooden boards.
Over one ton of illegal pharmaceutical drugs/medicines in the form of tablets and capsules, such as non-registered Viagra, were confiscated in operations throughout the country.
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SAPS MAKING STRIDES
General Fannie Masemola said through the organisations high-density operations, police are making inroads in clamping down on the drug trade in the country and beyond.
“ It is also encouraging that through Operation Shanela, 15 400 suspects were arrested by our police officers for being in possession of drugs to date. Another 7000 were arrested for dealing drugs. The recent drug confiscation of R150 million rand of cocaine in KwaZulu Natal also illustrates the cooperation between law enforcement agencies worldwide in clamping down on transnational organised crime,” Masemola said.