The Western Cape police management welcomed the conviction and sentencing imposed on a Swazi national for dealing in drugs as well as bribery in the Beaufort West Regional court.
On 29 June 2017 at about 06:00 members attached to the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit (Narcotics) conducted a vehicle check point (VCP) at the weight bridge on the N1 at Beaufort West.
The team pulled over a passenger bus enroute to Cape Town and proceeded with a search.
One of the passengers on board refused to disembark and the members noticed a parcel hidden underneath his seat. While approaching the passenger they detected a scent of dagga.
They proceeded with a search of the parcel and found dagga inside. Thereafter the suspect offered the members a bribe of R800. Police confiscated 6, 4 kilogram of “Swazi gold” dagga with a street value of R51 312-00 and R6 000 in cash, believed to be proceeds of the illicit drug trade.
They arrested the suspect on charges of dealing in dagga as well as bribery.
The accused was initially released on bail, but failed to appear in court.
He was subsequently rearrested on a warrant of arrest during December 2022.
In handing down the sentence, last week (18 July 2023), the judge presiding over the case sentenced the 37-year-old, Mangalore Mlambo to 8 years imprisonment.
The amount of cash confiscated on his arrest was also forfeited to the state.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile has congratulated the investigation and prosecution teams for ensuring the incarceration of the perpetrator. “We hope the sentence will serve as a deterrent to would-be drug peddlers. Our strategic deployment of resources along entry and exit routes to eradicate drug trafficking is bearing fruit. These efforts are in line with the provincial policing strategy CEPPAT and this type of operations will be maintained”, says Lt Gen Patekile. He also encouraged communities to report illicit drug activities to police.
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