A suspected drug operation in Gqeberha took an unexpected turn when police allegedly found a man hiding inside the boot of a Mercedes-Benz during a major crime crackdown in Central.
The discovery was made during Operation UKUBUZA, which resulted in the seizure of suspected drugs with an estimated street value of R1.5 million.
The operation began at about 11am after South African Police Service members received information about alleged drug dealing on Parliament Street.
Two men were arrested after they were allegedly found in possession of suspected drugs. A third man was detained after police found a large amount of cash in his possession which he could not satisfactorily explain.
Police have opened an enquiry into the cash, according to police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg.
The operation then moved to a white Mercedes-Benz B200 Turbo parked in the street, where a police K9 reportedly detected something suspicious.
K9 Leads Police To Mercedes
Suspected drugs were allegedly visible inside the vehicle. Police searched the Mercedes-Benz and the area around it, where they reportedly found a plastic bag containing suspected drugs near the rear tyre.
Officers then traced the owner of the vehicle. He confirmed that he had been renting it out and gave police permission to search it.
During the search, officers allegedly made the discovery that brought the most attention to the operation: a suspect hiding inside the boot.
Police also found a key in the suspect’s possession. The key allegedly led them to a flat, where officers carried out another search.
The sequence of events began with intelligence received by police about alleged drug sales in Parliament Street.
“The operation was conducted after SAPS members received information about suspects allegedly selling drugs in Parliament Street, Central. The information was immediately operationalised, resulting in the arrest of two men who were found in possession of suspected drugs,” Van Rensburg said.
The police spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the person allegedly found in the boot or explain why he was hiding inside the vehicle.
The circumstances surrounding the vehicle, the rental arrangement and the key found during the operation are expected to form part of the investigation.
Drugs And Equipment Seized
Police allegedly found a substantial quantity of suspected drugs inside the flat linked to the key.
The substances listed by police included dagga, tik, khat, cocaine and mandrax tablets. Officers also confiscated numerous smoking pipes, insulin syringes and a portable measuring scale.
Additional suspected drugs and insulin needles were found in the Mercedes-Benz.
An undisclosed amount of cash was also seized during the operation. The police enquiry into the cash will determine whether it is linked to any suspected criminal activity or whether there is another explanation for the money.
Van Rensburg said the items seized included equipment that police believed was associated with the preparation, use or distribution of drugs.
“A substantial quantity of suspected drugs, including dagga, tik, khat, cocaine and mandrax tablets, together with numerous smoking pipes, insulin syringes and a portable measuring scale, was confiscated.”
The estimated street value of the suspected drugs seized during the operation is approximately R1.5 million.
Police have described the seizure as a significant result for the operation, but the substances will still need to be processed and presented as evidence as the case moves through court.
The arrests and seizures remain allegations until tested in court.
Two Foreign Nationals In Court
Two foreign nationals, Kelvin Ike, 36, and Okeke Joseph Sunday, 52, were arrested for alleged possession of drugs.
They appeared in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court, where their matter was postponed to Monday, August 31.
A 42-year-old suspect who was detained on a charge of dealing in drugs was also expected to appear in court on the same day.
The police did not disclose whether the three suspects were arrested at the same location or whether each arrest resulted from a separate part of the operation.
It was also not immediately clear whether the person allegedly found hiding in the Mercedes-Benz boot was one of the two men arrested for possession, the 42-year-old suspect facing the dealing charge or an additional suspect.
Those details will have to be established through the investigation and court proceedings.
The charges facing the suspects relate to suspected drug possession and dealing. The cash enquiry could result in further action if investigators establish that the money is connected to an offence.
Operation UKUBUZA Continues
Van Rensburg said the operation was part of wider efforts to target people involved in the illegal drug trade and other criminal activities in the area.
“The swift response by Operation UKUBUZA members to the information received resulted in a significant quantity of suspected drugs being removed from the streets.”
Acting NMB District Commissioner Brigadier Loyiso Ngalo commended the officers involved in the operation and their response to the intelligence received.
The use of a police K9 was central to the discovery at the Mercedes-Benz. The dog’s attention to the vehicle prompted officers to examine it more closely, leading to the alleged recovery of drugs near the rear tyre and the later discovery of the person inside the boot.
The police search then extended to the flat after the key was found.
The substances allegedly recovered represent a mixture of drugs, including cannabis, methamphetamine, khat, cocaine and mandrax tablets. The smoking pipes, syringes and portable scale also formed part of the items confiscated.
Police have not released details about the suspected operation’s alleged customers, how long the activity had been taking place or whether investigators are pursuing other people connected to the premises or vehicle.
Van Rensburg said the crackdown would continue.
“Operations targeting drug dealers and other criminal activities will continue as SAPS intensifies efforts to disrupt criminal networks and create safer communities.”
The two men who appeared in court are expected to return on Monday, while the 42-year-old suspect is also expected to make a court appearance on that date.
The investigation into the suspected drugs, the cash, the rented Mercedes-Benz and the flat is continuing.
For residents in Central, the operation has highlighted the work being done by police to target alleged drug dealing in the area. It has also raised questions about how the suspect allegedly came to be inside the vehicle’s boot and whether investigators will uncover a wider network behind the operation.
Police have not said whether more arrests are expected.
For now, three suspects are due before the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court as detectives continue examining the evidence seized during Operation UKUBUZA.
