Second time unlucky for alleged dagga peddler caught with 600kg

Police doing a routine crime prevention operation were surprised that a panel van they had pulled over contained dagga with an estimated street value of R1.5-million. They were even more surprised when they recognised the driver as a repeat offender.

Police members of the Motherwell Operational Command Centre (OCC)‚ in Nelson Mandela Metro‚ pulled over a 46-year-old suspect driving a white Toyota Quantum panel van around 12.30am on Wednesday morning.

The OCC found the van laden with 21 bags of dagga‚ with a combined weight of over 600 kilograms.

According to Captain Andre Beetge‚ the suspect had been arrested on September 10 in Govan Mbeki‚ close to the scene of his most recent arrest.

“In that case he was arrested for possession of 26 bags of dagga with an estimated street value of R1.2-million. The suspect was released after his first arrest due to lack of evidence‚” said Beetge.

The suspect is due to face a charge of dealing in dagga at the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.