Preservation order granted by high court for businessmen’s links to mandrax pills

ALLEGED farming in mandrax pills is the cause of the Bhisho High Court granting Asset Forfeiture Unit in EL an order to preserve assets of EL businessmen Simphiwe Qwememe and Libele Soyama.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in EL obtained a preservation order against Simphiwe Qwememe’s farm in Berlin, said national prosecution authority regional spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza in a statement yesterday.

Evidence will also be led that the men also offered a home delivery service for their drugs.

He said Qwememe, 49, was trapped in an undercover operation by the directorate for priority crime investigations (DPCI) organised crime unit. The unit used an undercover operative who purchased 3 000 mandrax tablets from Qwememe on three occasions.

Ndwalaza said on each occasion, the operative purchased 1 000 mandrax tablet from Qwememe.

“According to the evidence, he used his home which is situated on a farm in the Berlin area, as the base from which to store the mandrax and as a delivery point for the undercover operative,” he said.

Ndwalaza said he (Qwememe) also used two different motor vehicles to deliver the mandrax on different occasions.

“Both these vehicles were seized during the operation as they were used as instruments of the offence of dealing in drugs. When Qwememe was arrested, the police officials also recovered R282 615 at his home and at the butchery that he runs in Mdantsane,” he said.

He said these cash amount were also seized during the operation as the proceeds of Qwememe’s unlawful activities.

“During Qwememe’s arrest 10 000 mandrax tablets, with a street value of approximately R360 000 were also found hidden on his farm,” Ndwalaza said.

He said AFU managed to preserve assets to the value of more than R3-million.

“These include the farm, two vehicles that Qwememe had used to deliver the mandrax, the cash that was recovered as well as the two BMW motor vehicles that were found on the property and are registered in Qwememe’s sister’s name,” he said.

Ndwalaza said in a separate case that was linked to Qwememe’s matter during the investigation, the AFU managed to obtain a second preservation against the property of Libele Soyamba who had also purchased of mandrax and tik from a police operative. “In the second matter, R12 300 and a Toyota Corolla are subject to a preservation order. This entire operation highlights the smooth interaction between the crime fighting units,” he said.