Mpumulanga police say they have closed down a cannabis “drugs laboratory’ in Barberton and arrested a 30 year old man. They seized an undisclosed amount of cannabis during the operation.

A SAPS statement on 26 September 2022 said the arrest took place on Friday 23 September and followed “an (sic) intelligence about a plot where drugs are being manufactured and peddled”.

It says a “multidisciplinary intelligence-driven, disruptive search and seizure operation” was conducted by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Secunda together with White River K9 unit”.

“The team acquired an authorization from court to enter, search and seize every item which is drug related” .

“On arrival at the identified address, the team found the trees of dagga, bottles containing dry dagga and dagga seeds. The suspect was immediately arrested, charged accordingly and detained pending his first court appearance at the Nelspruit Magistrates' Court on Monday, 26 September 2022. Exhibits were seized for further laboratory investigation".

The Hawks' Provincial Head, Major General Zodwa Mokoena said she cherished the collaboration of the team by ensuring that drugs laboratories are dismantled and suspects are brought to book.

Then, in a separate early morning operation on 23 September 2022, “crime Intelligence members from Head Office, as well as from K9 Unit in Middelburg and Delmas SAPS conducted an operation in Delmas whereby certain premises were identified to be used for drug trafficking”.

“During the said operation four suspects aged between 19 and 29 were arrested. The men and women in blue further seized the following items: 196 zip lock bags containing suspected rock cocaine, 232 pinches of suspected heroin, 11 zip lock bags containing suspected crystal meth, and seven bags of dagga as well as cash. The total value of the alleged drugs confiscated is at about R31480-00.

The suspects were expected to appear in the Delmas District Court on Monday, 26 September 2022 facing charges of being found in possession of suspected drugs.

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