Pretoria – Barberton Magistrate’s Court has remanded 40-year-old Nkosinathi Themba Zungu in custody after he was arrested for allegedly transporting and dealing in dagga at Hilltop, on Barberton Road.
“It was reported that on Thursday, 1 September 2022, members of the National Intervention Unit deployed in the Barberton Mine followed a suspicious courier company vehicle seen on surveillance cameras loading a large number of bags at the back of the vehicle,” said Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
The vehicle was followed on the gravel road towards Hilltop.
“When the vehicle was stopped and searched, 26 bags of compressed dagga with the estimated value of R700 000 were seized. The Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation were alerted and they took over the investigation.”
“The case against Zungu was remanded to 9 September 2022 for formal bail application.”
Last week, three suspects were busted with 100kg of dagga with an estimated street value of R150 000 at Mangweni, near Tonga.
“The suspects, two females and one male, were nabbed while Tonga SAPS members were conducting stop-and-search operation. They stopped a minibus and discovered that the kombi was loaded with nine bags of compressed dagga,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
Mohlala said the three, believed to be from Mpumalanga, were scheduled to make their first appearance at the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court on charges of dealing in drugs.
Mpumalanga commissioner of police, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, welcomed the arrest and sent a stern warning that drug peddling will not be tolerated.
“We will make sure that we intercept any drug trafficking activities in the province,” Manamela said.
IOL