The recent Interpol visit to South Africa was aimed at curbing organized transnational crime. This comes as international syndicates tighten their grip on illicit drug production and distribution, as recent arrests have shown. 

Heinrich Hartnick, chairperson of the Da Gamaskop Community Policing Forum cluster, says increased drug trafficking through small harbours needed urgent action.

In reference to the recent Stillbaai cocaine bust, he told IOL he believed the situation demanded more than ‘isolated victories as rural towns were under siege by drug lords’.

“Our rural towns are already suffering under the grip of drug lords.

“Communities are pleading with authorities for more aggressive measures to combat this scourge.

“We urgently call upon the Minister of Police, the Minister of Trade and Industry, the Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Public Works to take decisive action to shut down these drug syndicates.

“These syndicates are increasingly targeting our small coastal harbours. It is imperative that co-ordinated efforts are made to safeguard these entry points.

Although criminal syndicates focus on dealing in dependence-creating drugs such as heroin, cocaine and a raft of new drug cocktails, they currently control most of the South African cannabis market (estimated at well over R25 billion).

Many proponents of legalization argue this will remove cannabis from the purvey of organized crime and enable law-abiding citizens to buy and sell the plant and its products. This in turn would free up police resources to focus on hard drugs and addiction-producing substances.

Researcher Anine Kriegler believes that cannabis legalization may also “improve the relationship between the police and the public, as people may be more willing to cooperate with the police if they are not afraid of being prosecuted for cannabis-related offences themselves.”

She says “Legalization can also have a broader impact on organized crime. It can reduce the incalculable costs of prohibition to government, the economy and society. These costs include corruption, money laundering, a destabilized economy, deterred investment, migration, the marginalization of certain communities, the costs of crime and violence and the costs to health.

READ: Will organized crime benefit from cannabis legalization? It all depends on how crooked or clever our new policy-makers are

Cannabis is to be removed from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, but that alone will not disrupt black market sales, especially with the increasing use of cannabis as a base component for nyaope and other street drugs.

Cannabis Africa sources say some of the "grey market" cannabis retail outlets springing up in metro areas are fronts for criminal gangs and that many sell not only cannabis flower but harder drugs as well.

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