The wife of state security boss Siyabonga Cwele will remain in police custody following her arrest this morning. Sheryl Cwele appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court today on drug trafficking charges.

The high ranking municipal official on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, is expected to make an application for bail next Friday.

In March last year, the Sunday Times linked Cwele to jailed drug mule Tessa Beetge, who was arrested in Brazil with an estimated R3-million worth of raw cocaine while en route to South Africa two years ago.

Cwele was connected to Beetge, her former neighbour, through scores of e-mails, SMSs and prison letters. She denied this and claimed instead that she was merely helping Beetge to deceive her family about the trip.

Late last year police arrested alleged drug dealer Frank Nabolisa – the man who is also believed to be linked to the high-profile trafficking case.Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi said Cwele and Nabolisa were facing three charges including dealing or conspiracy to deal in drugs, the procurement or instigation of a Charmaine Moss to collect drugs in Turkey and the procurement or incitement of Beetge to collect drugs in Brazil.

Zondi said Moss would be the state’s main witness. The minister could not be reached for comment.