Drugs of about R500,000 confiscated

Intelligence-driven operation led police to arrest five suspects on drug-related allegations and confiscation of contraband worth about R500 000

An Intelligence-Driven Operation has led to police in Mpumalanga arresting five suspects in two separate incidents at Ermelo as well as Lydenburg respectively. During these operations which were conducted on Wednesday, 21 July 2021 and Friday, 23 July 2021, police confiscated drugs to a combined estimated value of about R500 000.

According to report, in the first incident; members received information about suspicious illegal drug activities carried out at a certain house in Ermelo. It was further alleged that the suspects trafficked the drugs using a silver VW Polo Vivo.

Members from Ermelo K9 Unit together with their counterparts from Standerton K9 Unit then coordinated their resources to act collectively and operationalised the information gathered. On Friday, 23 July 2021, they followed the leads and spotted the identified house which matched the description as given. Upon their arrival at the place, the police formations found three people busy packaging something suspicious inside the house.

They then searched them and also combed the house, resulting in more than 580 Heroin sachets being discovered in the routine. Police further found an undisclosed amount of cash, which suggests that they (suspects) were involved in drug dealing. The three suspects, aged between 28 and 38 were immediately arrested and charged accordingly. One of the suspects is a female and the trio is expected to appear before the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 26 July 2021.

Meanwhile, members from the Lydenburg K9 Unit also conducted an Intelligence Driven Operation where they intercepted suspects who were in a planned mission to traffic bags of dagga using a Ford Ranger bakkie.