Rustenburg - Three foreign nationals arrested for possession of dagga with an estimated street value of R1.2 million will apply for bail next week, the Hawks said on Thursday.
The three were allegedly transporting dagga from eSwatini to Botswana.
Mothusi Ramogerisa, 33, Siphesihle Magagula, 30, and Melvine Gule, 23, appeared in the Zeerust Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
This followed their arrest by the Hawks, the SAPS Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, assisted by members of the Zeerust K9 unit on Wednesday, Hawks spokesperson in North West, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said.
"The investigation team [acted on] information regarding dagga that was allegedly being transported from Swaziland (eSwatini) to Botswana. The vehicle was spotted and stopped on Zeerust road just before Swartkopfontein port of entry. When the vehicle was searched, five bags of dagga weighing over 100 kilograms were found. The vehicle and the dagga were seized for further investigation," she said.
The three were arrested and charged with dealing in dagga and contravention of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act.
The case against them was postponed to September 20 for a formal bail application.
In Mpumalanga, the Hawks said Nkosinathi Zungu, 40, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, which was wholly suspended for five years, and a R50 000 fine or six years’ imprisonment, at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, for dealing in drugs.
Zungu was arrested on September 1 while driving a Nissan Hardbody loaded with dagga valued at about R1 million. “A total of R46 200 in cash was also found and confiscated for further investigation," said Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
IOL