Cape Town - A 64-year-old man is expected to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of dealing and possession of narcotics.
This comes after members of the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (Saneb) intercepted a bakkie laden with oranges along the R555 towards Delmas.
The members uncovered narcotics concealed under the oranges.
Spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said this was an intelligence-driven operation in concert with the K9 unit.
“The resultant search uncovered about 5kg of crystal meth valued at approximately R1.2 million. A 64-year-old male was arrested and charged for dealing as well as possession of narcotics. The suspect is expected to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday,” Ramovha said.
In a separate incident, the Kempton Park Regional Court convicted and sentenced a foreign national couple for manufacturing drugs.
Santos Onweni Onwukaike, 47, and Sandra Onwukaike, 38, were convicted of manufacturing drugs at a flat in Avalon Lifestyle Estate in May 2017.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team conducted analysis and surveillance on the couple and in August 2017 conducted a search and seizure operation and caught the pair red-handed manufacturing drugs (CAT).
For dealing in drugs the court sentenced them independently to eight years imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not found guilty of the same offence during the period of suspension.
For manufacturing drugs, they received five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not found guilty of the same offence.
In an unrelated matter in the Western Cape, two men were arrested on Monday during an intelligence-driven operation by the Hawks’ Organised Crime Investigation team in Bellville, Crime Intelligence and Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
According to the Western Cape spokesperson for the Hawks, Zinzi Hani, the men were arrested in Soneike, Kuilsriver, after the team acted on information about a vehicle suspected to be transporting abalone.
“The men were caught in possession of abalone weighing more than 638 kg with an estimated street value of over R1.17m.
“The suspects, aged 38 and 43, were charged with illegal possession of abalone and they are expected to appear before the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday,” Hani said.