A dagga grower from Constantia was kicked off his “high horse” after the Khayelitsha priority court fined him R100 000 for cultivating boom on Wednesday.
Joseph Hughes was sentenced for possession of drugs in terms of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act.
The 25-year-old was arrested on December 2, 2022 following a search and seizure operation executed by the Hawks’ SA Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, Crime Intelligence Counter Narcotics and Gangs, K9 Unit and the Flying Squad at his larney home after receiving a tip-off about a suspect who was operating a cannabis hydroponic laboratory.
During the search, cops found that seven rooms were being used to grow dagga. Six bags of dagga heads, six kilograms of dagga heads, 754 dagga trees, 10 kilograms of dried dagga stems with heads on and 315 rounds of ammunition were confiscated.
All in all, the value of the ganja is said to have surpassed R1.5 million.
Hughes was released on R50 000 bail.
During court proceedings, he decided to enter into a plea agreement with the State.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a term of five years in jail or a R200 000 fine.
The sentence was wholly suspended on condition that the accused is not convicted of the same offence.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani says the the value of Hughes’ profits made from the unlawful activities and or related unlawful activities was more than R100 000.
The court for this reason granted a confiscation order for an amount of R100 000 which was then deposited into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA).
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za