Mandrax worth millions intercepted en route from Pretoria to Plett

13 March 2019 - 16:07 By Iavan Pijoos
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Mandrax tablets weighing 177kg were found stashed aboard an Intercape bus travelling from Pretoria to Plettenberg Bay.
Mandrax tablets weighing 177kg were found stashed aboard an Intercape bus travelling from Pretoria to Plettenberg Bay.
Image: Lt-Col Thabo Covane/SAPS

Drugs worth nearly R2.5m were seized on an Intercape bus in Bloemfontein, police in the Free State said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Lt-Col Thabo Covane said the bus had been travelling between Pretoria and the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. It arrived in Bloemfontein on Monday evening  around 10.30pm.

"During offloading, five big travelling bags that could not be accounted for were found. The staff member became suspicious as the bags were not tagged," said Covane.  

On arrival, police inspected the bags and found mandrax tables inside. Covane said the drugs were divided into transparent bags containing about 500 tablets each.

He said the drugs weighed 177kg and had an estimated street value of nearly R2.5m.

No arrests have been made. "An investigation has been launched to establish the origin and destination of the drugs," added Covane.

Intercape management confirmed that drugs were found on the bus, and that it had launched an investigation.


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