Six men have been arrested in four separate incidents for being in possession of large quantities of drugs and contravening the coronavirus (Covid-19) regulations, and will appear in various magistrates’ courts in Cape Town and George on Monday, Western Cape police said.

Two men were due to appear in the George Magistrates’ Court after they were arrested this past week for being in possession of dagga worth about R350,000, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lt-Col Philani Nkwalase said in a statement on Sunday.

“The Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team successfully intercepted a consignment of dagga with an estimated street value of R375,000 on route to George from the Eastern Cape,” Nkwalase said.

The two suspects, aged 41 and 33, were arrested for being in possession of about 15 bags of dagga on Thursday in Kokkewiet Street, Conville, in George.

This followed a high-speed car chase that led to the driver jumping out of the moving vehicle in a bid to avoid arrest, causing the car to hit a fence on the side of Kokkewiet Street, where it came to a halt, Nkwalase said.

In an unrelated incident in Brackenfell in Cape Town, two suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of a large quantity of drugs, Western Cape South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said on Sunday.

The vigilance of two officers attached to the Brackenfell SAPS led to the two suspects being put behind bars for possession of about 2000 Mandrax tablets, Traut said in a statement.

Officers on patrol at about 8.05pm on Saturday night spotted a VW Polo in Vredekloof Heights in Brackenfell “under suspicious circumstances”.

“The driver sped off when he noticed the police, and during the pursuit the passenger tossed two bags out of the window. After the vehicle was stopped, the two bags containing 2000 Mandrax tablets were retrieved.”

The two suspects, from Langa in Cape Town and aged 38 and 39, were arrested for possession of drugs and for contravening the Disaster Management Act regulations. They would appear in the local magistrates’ court on Monday.

Also on Saturday, a 53-year-old man was arrested in Gugulethu in Cape Town for being in possession of dagga, Traut said.

During a police vehicle check point, a car driver sped off after he was requested to unlock his boot. The vehicle was later found in KTC in Khayelitsha, with dagga in the boot. Further investigation led police to the suspect’s residence where more dagga was confiscated. He was due to appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Traut said.

Also in Gugulethu on Saturday, a 41-year-old man was arrested after 12 boxes of wine were discovered in the boot of his car. Police officers on patrol approached the suspect in NY111 next to a braai stand and conducted an inspection.

The man was detained for contravening the Disaster Management Act regulations and would also appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Traut said.

Source: ANA