Booze, illicit cigarette and drugs in car engine: Police bust 'sinners'
Police have had their hands full with peddlers of illicit substances.
Two men aged 55 and 50 will appear in the Bloemfontein magistrate's court on Monday on a charge of contravention of counterfeit goods act.
On Saturday, highway police officers spotted a white panel van on the N6 Reddersburg road near the University of Free State farm. They stopped the vehicle and during a search found 70 boxes of counterfeit Sevilles cigarettes with an estimated street value of R700,000, said Free State police spokesperson Col Thandi Mbambo.
The Bothaville magistrate's court will on Monday hear the case of an alleged drug dealer, accused of hiding his stash under his car's bonnet.
Mbambo said officers had become aware of an alleged drug house in Kgotsong. The house was searched — as well as two motor vehicles.
In an Opel Corsa, 1,640 drugs suspected to be Star tablets with a street value of about R98,400 and cash were found wrapped on top of the engine.
The 32-year-old owner of the vehicle was arrested.
Free State provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane commended officers for the bust.
“Drugs are dangerous to the welfare of our communities as drug users end up committing crimes such as domestic violence and other serious offences,” said Motswenyane.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Cape last week, a liquor store manager was arrested in Mdantsane for contravening the Disaster Management Act regulations. A second suspect was also arrested.
“These arrests followed after information was received that the liquor store was continuing to sell liquor to customers in the early hours of the morning at Highway, in Mdantsane. On investigation, it was established that indeed there was evidence that liquor was being loaded into private vehicles as early as before 5am,” said Brig Tembinkosi Kinana.
Invoices were also found in the store after a search warrant was obtained, showing illicit booze sales from New Year's Eve. The value of the liquor illegally sold is estimated at R66,700.
The two were also charged for breaking the lockdown curfew.
Acting provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Thembisile Patekile said: “Non-compliance remains a criminal offence in terms of the Disaster Management Act regulations and lockdown restrictions, and people who are determined to violate these laws must answer for their actions in the courts of law.”
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