R11 million drug haul seized on N2 near Riviersonderend, foreign national arrested
A 37-year-old foreign national has been arrested after police seized drugs worth R11 million on the N2 near Riviersonderend in the Western Cape on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday night, a routine vehicle stop-and-search operation on the N2 highway near Riviersonderend resulted in the seizure of drugs valued at approximately R11 million and the arrest of a 37-year-old foreign national, according to Western Cape police. Officer Constable Ndakhe Gwala reported that during the search of the black Nissan Tiida, police discovered 87 packets of mandrax tablets, 16 packets of uncut crystal meth, and two blocks of cocaine concealed in the vehicle's boot.
The driver, who was immediately arrested, faces a charge of possession of drugs. The police estimate the street value of the seized narcotics to be around R11 million, and the suspect is expected to appear in the Caledon Magistrate's Court once formally charged.
Later that same day, police at OR Tambo International Airport, in collaboration with Customs officials and other law enforcement agencies, conducted two separate operations which led to the seizure of cocaine worth an estimated R200 million. Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, a national police spokesperson, revealed that the first interception involved two large travel suitcases discovered at the airport terminal.
These suitcases contained blocks of suspected cocaine weighing approximately 84 kilograms in total. Additionally, four boxes holding around 250kg of suspected cocaine were seized at the cargo section, with the combined estimated street value of the seized cocaine exceeding R200 million. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with these operations.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
