North West police arrested a 48-year-old Nigerian man and a 33-year-old South African woman on charges of unlawful possession of drugs and dealing in drugs.
The duo was nabbed on Wednesday by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, in collaboration with the North West provincial drug task team and Lichtenburg K9 unit.
Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the duo was arrested in Lichtenburg following information received about a Nigerian man who was alleged to be selling drugs in the area.
“An undercover operation was conducted, which led to the arrest of the pair soon after selling drugs valued at R40,000. [Around] 649 mandrax tablets, 40 packets of crystal meth and transparent plastic containing CAT drugs were seized,” said Mathebula.
“A search was conducted at the Nigerian man's house where crystal meth with an estimated street value of R15,000 and CAT drugs valued at R6,000 were confiscated.”
Mathebula said when police officers were processing the suspects – the Nigerian man and 33-year-old South African woman, and a 28-year-old South African woman, alleged to be the Nigerian suspect’s girlfriend, attempted to bribe the police in a bid to secure her boyfriend’s release.
“She was subsequently arrested and charged with corruption,” said Mathebula.
The arrested trio will appear before the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that three Mozambican nationals were arrested in Joburg for possession of drugs.
Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said the law enforcement agencies seized a “substantial” quantity of illicit drugs.
“The Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation undertook an operation targeting drug trafficking activities in the region on Monday, December 2, 2024, in the Cleveland policing precinct,” said Ramovha.
“This was a result of a coordinated effort by the Johannesburg serious organised crime investigation, South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, and the Trafficking in Persons unit.”
The operation led to the arrest of three individuals - Alexandre Alberto Chissano, 62, Raul Silvadore Homo, 51, and Antonio Lisboa, 33, who are all Mozambican nationals, and the seizure of the substantial quantity of illicit drugs.
IOL