Cape Town — National Commissioner of the South African Police Services (SAPS), Fannie Masemola, presided over the destruction of drugs valued at R90 million in Cape Town.
The drugs were seized during police operations in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape during roadblocks and drug operations, and included tik, mandrax and cocaine, among those confiscated, SAPS reported.
This is police’s fourth big bust of the financial year, after drugs valued at R800 million was confiscated in Gauteng in October 2023, with close to R1 billion worth of drugs destroyed already.
The drugs destroyed in this bust included R10 million worth of mandrax found in Vredenburg, R2.5 million worth of mandrax and R18 million worth of tik found in Beaufort West in two separate busts.
Tons of drugs are being destroyed in Cape Town today. The drugs were seized during police anti-crime operations in the Western and Eastern Cape. Newzroom Afrika’s @Nasiphi_Same has more.
Watch: https://t.co/W28pttvCfV#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/6IxD5GSVT8
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 25, 2024
According to Masemola, police are registering great successes in intercepting drugs in the country, noting that South Africa’s ports and harbours have been sources of entry for drugs.
“It is worth noting that in the past three months, police have seized cocaine worth R 200 million in various drug busts at our ports of entry. The first two consignments of cocaine were seized at the Durban harbour in October and the other major bust worth R65 million was detected in November at the Gqeberha sea port. This drug destruction thus demonstrates the relentless efforts of our men and women in blue to remove these drugs that destroy lives and livelihoods” he said.
#sapsHQ [MEDIA STATEMENT] #DrugDestruction
Today, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola presided over the destruction of drugs worth R90 million in Cape Town.
This is the fourth drug destruction process in this financial… pic.twitter.com/GenwcGz1Cv— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) January 25, 2024
#sapsHQ All drugs confiscated by SAPS during operations are subjected to forensic testing on a regular basis by the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory: Chemistry Section. These drug exhibit materials that were destroyed today were done so after a thorough process which followed the… pic.twitter.com/VwFOPhnHvu
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) January 25, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
