Pretoria - Police say the raiding of drug dens throughout the country will become a regular feature as they intensify the fight against drug dealers and peddlers.
This commitment is in line with government’s National Drug Master Plan, National Commissioner of the Police, General Riah Phiyega, said on Monday.
“It goes without a saying that there is a causal link between the proliferation of drugs and a spike in crime, since drug addiction is a habit that has to be fed on an ongoing basis.
“However, for us to cause a serious dent on drug dealings, we will appreciate it if the communities, especially in the affected areas, could turn tip-offs into a habit. As the police we need all the help we could get,” said Phiyega.
This past weekend, starting from Thursday, the SAPS units comprising of Visible Policing and Crime Intelligence, together with the Hawks embarked on a country-wide, multidisciplinary, intelligence driven operation.
This saw the arrest of 219 suspects for a variety of drug-related charges such as dealing in and possession of drugs.
Included in the list of arrested suspects were two men who were found in possession of dagga weighing 154 kilogrammes.
They were apparently coming from KwaZulu-Natal en-route to Kimberley.
Also arrested was a former police officer for allegedly running a sophisticated hydroponic Tetrahydrocannabinol drug lab in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, which manufactured the so-called “cannabis oil”.
This drug is reportedly worth about R1 000 a gram overseas.
During the operation more than 200 outlets – which are known by informers to be places of drug dealings – were raided and several quantities of drugs such as dagga, Nyaope (whoonga), crystal meth cocaine, mandrax and heroin were seized at these drug dens. - SAnews.gov.za
