A 41-year-old alleged Oudtshoorn drug peddler has been arrested after he was found in possession of drugs with an estimated street value of R300 000, Western Cape police said on Saturday.

Members attached to the Attakwa K9 unit (Oudtshoorn dog unit) acted on information received from the community and pulled over a minibus taxi en route to Oudtshoorn near Klein Paradys in De Rust on the N12 at about 7.35pm on Friday night, Lt-Col Andre Traut said.

“With the search that ensued they discovered 5 000 Mandrax tablets concealed in various plastic bags belonging to the suspect. The find was consequently seized as evidence and handed in for forensic analyses and the suspect was arrested and detained.

“We believe that the drugs were destined for distribution in the Southern Cape town of Oudtshoorn.”

The suspect was scheduled to appear in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Monday on a charge of dealing in drugs, Traut said.

Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Khombinkosi Jula commended the officers involved in the joint effort between police and the community to bring the culprit to book and thus protecting the safety of communities.