Police seize dagga worth R2m over three days

POLICE in Mpumalanga have arrested five people, in three separate incidents across the province, and confiscated dagga valued at more than R2 million.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the large haul of dagga was seized on separate days, from Tuesday.

“On Wednesday at about 11am, the police were alerted by concerned citizens about a bizarre scene, where an alleged peddler was noticed selling dagga to pupils at one of the local secondary schools in Carolina. Police officers acted with speed and, on arrival at the school premises, they allegedly found a 19-year-old male selling dagga to some pupils,” said Mohlala.

“The members discovered 38 sachets of dagga in the possession of the suspect. The weight of the dagga was 88.7g with an extra cache in his possession.”

The 19-year-old was arrested and charged for dealing in dagga. He was scheduled to appear before the Carolina Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

On Tuesday, after 10pm, three men were arrested in Oshoek on charges of dealing in dagga, after they were reportedly found with marijuana weighing 514kg.

“The arrest of the trio came as a result of information that officers received about some men from Johannesburg who were on a mission to collect dagga near Oshoek borderline. One is a South African, the other two are Tanzanian nationals.

“The three appeared at the Elukwatini Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, where one, Jackson Rogers Mlaki, 36, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to a fine of R25 000, while the other two, 39 and 40, were released,” said Mohlala.

On the same day, police at Oshoek arrested Bongi Sakhile Mnisi, 25, after busting him with nine rolls stashed with dagga.

“The man was charged for dealing in dagga. Police also discovered that the suspect is from the Kingdom of eSwatini but he did not have legal documents to be in South Africa, hence an additional charge of contravention of the Immigration Act was laid against him,” said Mohlala.

During his appearance on Wednesday before the Elukwatini Magistrate's Court, Mnisi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of R3 000.