'Drug dealer' bust on his way to deliver Ritalin to Cape Town school

A suspected drug dealer was arrested on Wednesday with Ritalin tablets he is believed to have been delivering to a school pupil in Cape Town's southern suburbs.

Many school and university students take the schedule-six medication, which is prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), because they say it helps them to focus, particularly during exam time.

City of Cape Town metro police spokesperson Sergeant Ruth Solomons said officers from the property crimes unit arrested a 22-year-old man in Athlone.

"He was in possession of eight Ritalin tablets and couldn't provide a medical script for the drugs," she said.

"It's believed the suspect was heading to a school in the southern suburbs to deliver the drugs to a client.

"Officers found further orders via texts on his cellphone."

Solomons said Ritalin appeared to be growing in popularity among school pupils and urged parents to be vigilant.