Five men – two Jamaicans, two Malawians and one Lesotho national – have been arrested after Gauteng police uncovered a hydroponic dagga laboratory worth more than R1 million in De Deur.
The group was arrested on Thursday, August 27, following an intelligence-driven operation in De Deur, Sedibeng District.
The operation was conducted by members of Gauteng Counter-Intelligence Narcotics, Gauteng Organised Crime, West Rand K9, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), National Cybercrime and private security companies.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said officers also recovered a .303 rifle and a 9mm Glock pistol during the operation.
Sibeko said the suspects are facing charges related to contraventions of sections 3 and 5(b) of the Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992.
“Two of the five suspects are also facing additional charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition,” she said, adding that they would appear before the Meyerton Magistrate’s Court soon.
Meanwhile, in June, IOL reported that three suspects were arrested after they were found with drugs worth R11 million in Limpopo province.
The suspects were arrested during an operation by members of Hoedspruit SAPS in collaboration with Farm Watch members between Saturday, May 30, and the early hours of Sunday, May 31.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the relentless implementation of Operation Shanela 2 continues to deliver significant results in the fight against organised crime.
“Acting on information regarding the movement of a large quantity of drugs through the area, operational members intercepted a Toyota Quantum taxi and a Hyundai i20 along the R527 near Snake Park at about 9.15 pm on Saturday,” Ledwaba said.
A total of 130 bags of dagga were discovered and seized by police.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the consignment originated in Eswatini and was being transported through Limpopo for distribution elsewhere in the country.”
“Three suspects, aged between 34 and 35, were immediately arrested on charges of dealing in dagga,” Ledwaba said.
Image: Supplied/SAPS
The consignment of dagga was estimated to be worth around R11 million.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of three suspects for urinating in public and one suspect for using dagga.
Operational teams also conducted patrols at three villages, 10 farms, an airport, four banking institutions and six ATMs as part of ongoing crime prevention and visibility operations.
