The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested undocumented foreign nationals driving a Toyota Hilux coming from Eswatini allegedly loaded with bags of dagga worth more than R3 million along the N4 in Wonderfontein on Wednesday morning.
The Middelburg Flying Squad members intercepted 328,4 kg of dagga concealed in 28 bags worth more than R3 million along the N4 in Wonderfontein, next to Belfast, this morning (Wednesday) at about 11am.
It is alleged that police stopped a suspicious-looking Toyota Hilux, which was fully loaded with bags. When searching the vehicle, 28 bags with different addresses attached to them were recovered.
"The bags contained plastic bags wrapped with brown sellotape. Inside the plastic bags, a substance believed to be dagga was found," police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
Leswaba further added that the two occupants, a 36-year-old Malawi national and a 34-year-old Tanzanian national, both undocumented, indicated that they were en route to Johannesburg from the Kingdom of Eswatini with the luggage.
"A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle they were using was not reported stolen.
"The suspects were arrested for dealing in dagga and contravening the Immigration Act," Ledwaba said.
Ledwaba also confirmed that the Department of Home Affairs will be roped in to investigate the status of the foreign nationals on South African soil.
He said that both the vehicle and the bags were seized for further investigation. The suspects are expected to appear before Belfast Magistrate's Court as soon as the investigation is completed.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, commended the outstanding performance of the Middleburg Flying Squad.
Manamela further voiced serious concerns about substances that are trafficked from other countries to South Africa with the sole intention of destroying the wellbeing of South Africans.
IOL News