Rustenburg - A man transporting 30 bags of mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R1.5 million was arrested in Beaufort West.
The man was arrested after he allegedly offered members of the Western Cape Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Narcotics Section, R400 to escort him past traffic officers patrolling the N1 highway.
"On January 27, 2023 at about 9.30am, members of the team were busy with routine vehicle checks along the N1 when they spotted a silver Toyota Corolla parked at a petrol filling station with the driver acting suspiciously when he notices the members.
"They approached the driver who then offered them R400 to escort him past traffic officials patrolling the highway. The vigilant members arrested the suspect on a bribery charge and proceeded with a search of his vehicle and found 30 000 mandrax tablets in bags concealed in the boot and panels of the vehicle. Police confiscated the find and seized the vehicle," Sergeant Christopher Spies said.
"The suspect remains in police custody. He is expected to make his first court appearance in the local court on Monday, January 30, on charges of dealing in drugs and bribery," he said.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police arrested two men and a woman on Thursday after they were found to be running a mini drug lab within the premises of a lodge in the Point area in Durban.
"The Provincial Drugs and Firearms Unit officers conducted a sting operation which was backed up by intelligence information and stormed into a lodge where three suspects were found to have turned a guest room into clandestine drug lab.
"Almost 12 000 capsules of heroin, 600g of heroin powder, 37 pieces of rock cocaine, with an estimated street value of approximately R500 000 were found in possession of the suspects," Colonel Robert Netshiunda said.
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