Parklands laundromat owner allegedly had 1 000 mandrax tablets, bribed police officer

Published Jan 1, 2022

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CAPE TOWN - A 54-year-old suspect will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of being in possession of illegal substances and bribery.

According to provincial police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk, the suspect was arrested in Parklands on New Year’s Eve.

He said police officers were conducting crime prevention patrols in the area when one of the officers noticed the owner of a local laundromat carrying a bag and acting nervously when he saw the police vehicle.

“When he was asked what was inside the bag, the man handed it over to a police officer. He said he had been given the bag and asked to drop it off at the parking area of a shopping centre in Table View.

“The officer opened the plastic bag and immediately recognised the contents of the bag as mandrax tablets. The man then offered the officer R1 000 not to arrest him,” Van Wyk said.

The suspect was then arrested for being in possession of illegal substances, dealing in an illegal substance, and bribery.

It was later confirmed there were 1 000 mandrax tablets in the plastic bag.

“The 54-year-old suspect was arrested and will be appearing in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday, January 3, 2022, on the mentioned charges,” Van Wyk added.