News / Africa
Drug dealers nabbed
24 Jan 2016 at 00:28hrs | Views
EIGHT men have been bust in Groblersdal and Marble Hall by the South African police for alleged drug dealing and possession of unlicensed firearms, the Hawks said today.
Daily Sun reported that the arrests followed a year-long investigation and numerous drug-related complaints from residents of the two Mpumalanga towns, Hawks spokesman Lieutenant Robert Netshiunda said.
The investigation included undercover police who pretended to be clients and bought drugs, mostly nyaope, from dealers. Fourteen transactions amounting to over R50 000 were conducted before they were arrested on Friday.
Police raided the alleged kingpin's Groblersdal house and business and confiscated guns and money. In his house they found R70 000 in cash, a police-issue bulletproof vest, a .303 rifle with ammunition, and ammunition for an AK-47.
In the storeroom of his business they found R29 000 in cash, an R1 rifle, AK-47 ammunition, and dagga.
A total of four firearms, two vehicles and five pieces of gold were confiscated. Four of those arrested were Nigerian and one was Portuguese. They were aged between 25 and 49.
All eight were expected to appear in the Marble Hall Periodical Court and Groblersdal Magistrate's Court on Monday.
They would face charges of drug dealing, possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of illegal ammunition, and illegal possession of gold.
Daily Sun reported that the arrests followed a year-long investigation and numerous drug-related complaints from residents of the two Mpumalanga towns, Hawks spokesman Lieutenant Robert Netshiunda said.
The investigation included undercover police who pretended to be clients and bought drugs, mostly nyaope, from dealers. Fourteen transactions amounting to over R50 000 were conducted before they were arrested on Friday.
Police raided the alleged kingpin's Groblersdal house and business and confiscated guns and money. In his house they found R70 000 in cash, a police-issue bulletproof vest, a .303 rifle with ammunition, and ammunition for an AK-47.
A total of four firearms, two vehicles and five pieces of gold were confiscated. Four of those arrested were Nigerian and one was Portuguese. They were aged between 25 and 49.
All eight were expected to appear in the Marble Hall Periodical Court and Groblersdal Magistrate's Court on Monday.
They would face charges of drug dealing, possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of illegal ammunition, and illegal possession of gold.
Source - Daily Sun
