A 57-year-old man has been arrested after he was caught with 60 000 mandrax pille worth R3 million while driving on the N1 near Beaufort West.
The Central Karoo K9 Unit, Crime Intelligence and the Rural Flying Squad were doing crime patrols along the notorious highway at around 5.50pm on Tuesday, when they spotted a suspicious Opel Corsa bakkie.
The man thought he could flous cops by hiding the drugs in the bakkie’s door panels, but cops were too wakker for him.
When the bakkie was pulled over and searched, officers noticed that the door panels had been tampered with.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Christopher Spies said that 60 000 mandrax tablets were found hidden in pakkies inside the door panels.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the drugs were destined for delivery in the Cape Metropole,” Spies said.
“A 57-year-old suspect from Harrismith in the Free State [appeared] in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of dealing in drugs.”
Provincial SAPS Commissioner Thembisile Patekile has applauded the members for their vigilance and commitment to eradicate drug trafficking.
“It remains a priority for police to rid communities of drugs which threatens the safety of the most vulnerable in society, especially women and children,” he says.
“The confiscation of this consignment and the arrest forms part of concerted efforts of police to eradicate trafficking along highways, byways and secondary roads. We have sharpened our deployment and it is already bearing fruit.”
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