No arrest in R154m drug bust in Umhlali

NEARLY a month later and no one has been arrested for the R154 million drug bust in Umhlali.

Yesterday, Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said “no arrest has been made at this stage”.

Last month, Hawks officers from the Durban Serious Organised Crime Unit and Umhlali police conducted an intelligence- driven operation where they swooped on a property at Simbithi Eco Estate.

At the time, Mhlongo said officers found bags of suspected anthranilic acid in the garage. Inside the flat they found mandrax powder and tablets. In the bedroom, they found heroin powder, heroin capsules and more mandrax tablets.

The street value of the seized drugs was about R154 929 000.

Meanwhile, on Monday, officers from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit executed search warrants in Vryheid and arrested four suspected drug dealers.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said three suspects, aged between 30 and 42, were arrested for drug possession.

“The suspects were found at a house on Heeren Street with crack cocaine, crystal meth and cocaine powder. The estimated street value of the recovered drugs is R40 000,” said Gwala.

She said at another house on the same street police found R21 195 in cash.

“Narcotic paraphernalia with possible drug traces was also found,” said Gwala.

She said officers went to Lakeside Street where they found a 35- year- old man in possession of heroin, crystal meth and ecstasy sealed in bags.