Three foreign nationals are due in court on charges of drug dealing following a bust on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast on Tuesday.
According to provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, officers arrested the trio at different locations around KwaDukuza.
He said as part of 'Operation Umiyane', officers gathered intelligence about a man selling drugs in KwaDukuza.
"This led to the arrest of a 25-year-old man at his home in Newtown. He was found in possession of an assortment of drugs including crack cocaine, mandrax, kat wrappings and pure cocaine, estimated to a street value of just over R100,000," Netshuinda said.
Further investigations led police officers to another two men, aged 23 and 26, who were arrested in Glenhills Drive and Russel Street.
Netshiunda said police searched the suspects and recovered cocaine with an estimated street value of several thousands rand.
"After processing, the arrested suspects will be presented before court to face charges of possession and dealing in drugs," he said.
The arrests come weeks after police arrested close to 11,000 suspects and recovered 339 firearms and ammunition in month-long operations.
"The province launched Operation Shanela on August 19, paving the way for waves of police operations, stop and searches as well as well-timed vehicle check points at identified parts of KZN," Netshiunda said.
He said the Shanela operations, which gain momentum from Thursdays to Mondays, are capacitated by routine policing and other spontaneous operations with a sole purpose of maintaining peace, law and order and to ensure that residents are safe.
IOL