Concerted efforts by the Ladismith SAPS Visible Policing members over the past week to eradicate and address the distribution of illegal drugs in this rural Kannaland-town, yet again yielded positive results when information received from the community was operationalized and led to the arrests of a number of suspects.

First Incident

On Friday morning, 24 September 2021, police members operationalized information received from the community and pounced on a Toyota Hilux bakkie that was travelling on the Ladismith/Laingsburg road. They pulled over the vehicle and ensued with a search of the bakkie and its two occupants. The members discovered a plastic bag containing 200 Mandrax tablets to the estimated value of R12 000.00 that was concealed in foil inside a yellow plastic bag in front of his shirt.

The 31-year-old suspect was arrested on the spot and the find was subsequently confiscated as evidence.

The suspect who has been charged with the Illegal Dealing in Drugs is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Ladismith on Monday, 27 September 2021 on the mention charge.

Second Incident

Ladismith Police Visible members arrested six suspects on Friday night, 24 September 2021 at in connection with the find of 79 Bankies Tik and a small amount of Mandrax tablets (10 x full Mandrax and 21x quarter tablets) that was confiscated during a search operation at residential premises situated at Dirk Bosman Avenue in Ladismith. The search was conducted after members received information regarding the illegal dealing of drugs on the premises.

The discovery was made whilst members searched the premises and the occupants at the time. As a result of the find, members arrested all those on the premises who had been found in the immediate vicinity of the find.

The drugs as mentioned were confiscated and handed in as evidence. The six suspects between the ages 18 and 35, including one woman,  were later released on a warning to appear in the local Ladismith Magistrate’s Court on 28 March 2022 pending further investigation and analyses of the substance that was found on the yard.

Police Provincial Management has praised the members involved for their continued efforts to eradicate the prevalence of drugs in their communities.

Source: South African Police Service