By Nokunceda Magagula
South African Police Services (SAPS) have arrested a 43-year-old liSwati male identified as Bhekithemba Simelane, after he was found with dagga wrapped around his body in a kombi.
According to a statement released by SAPS on their social media page, the arrest took place on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
The suspect was apprehended for carrying drugs while travelling as a taxi commuter along the N2 Piet Retief-Pongola Road.
The statement reads, “The suspect was found with drugs wrapped around his body.”
The statement states that the police officers from Mahamba Port of Entry were conducting routine stop and search duties when they stopped a Toyota Quantum Kombi.
Upon searching, they discovered a significant quantity of drugs, specifically 3,922kg of dagga, wrapped around Simelane’s body.
Simelane was subsequently arrested and charged with drug possession. Preliminary investigations revealed that he was en route to Vryheid in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
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Simelane appeared in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for his initial hearing. He was remanded in custody, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, 2024, for a formal bail application.
Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, the Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, welcomed the arrest and emphasized that Mpumalanga routes should not be associated with illicit activities.
This arrest follows another drug-related incident where the SAPS apprehended a 47-year-old liSwati national in Kimberley on New Year’s Eve.
The unidentified man was found with dagga worth an estimated street value of E1.4 million.
According to the SAPS website, the suspect was intercepted at a vehicle checkpoint, where a bakkie with a trailer was stopped.
During a routine search, law enforcement officials discovered 663.35kg of dagga concealed in four large crates on the trailer.
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The Provincial Organised Crime Unit investigated the case and charged the suspect with illegal drug dealing. In addition to the drugs, authorities also confiscated a bakkie valued at approximately E400,000 and a trailer valued at approximately E45,000.
This intervention not only prevented a substantial amount of drugs from reaching the streets but also dealt a severe blow to the illicit drug trade.
Major General Johan Bean, the Frances Baard District Commissioner, commended the law enforcement team for their vigilance and unwavering commitment to a zero-tolerance approach against drug-related crimes.
