A truck driver is on the run after allegedly jumping from his moving vehicle and disappearing just 100 metres from a police station, moments before officers uncovered dagga and Mandrax worth an estimated R1.5 million inside the truck.
The dramatic Free State drug bust happened on Saturday, 7 November 2026, after police intercepted the vehicle on the N1 South.
The truck had allegedly been under police observation for several weeks amid an investigation into the transportation of dagga and other drugs from Cape Town to Alrode in Johannesburg.
Free State police spokesperson Constable Kelello Patsa said the Tracing and Narcotics Team received intelligence at about midday that the truck was travelling towards Cape Town and allegedly carrying drugs.
The information was immediately turned into an operation, with officers moving to intercept the vehicle.
Driver allegedly flees before search
Police located the truck on the N1 South and stopped it.
Officers identified themselves to the driver and explained why the vehicle was being pulled over.
The truck was then escorted to Parys SAPS so that it could be searched in a safe and secure environment.
But the driver allegedly made a sudden move shortly before reaching the station.
“However, approximately 100 metres from the police station, the driver unexpectedly jumped out of the moving truck and fled on foot,” Patsa said.
The truck continued towards the station, where police searched it.
Inside, officers allegedly discovered 452 bales of dagga, each weighing approximately one kilogram, as well as seven packs of Mandrax, also weighing one kilogram each.
The drugs had an estimated street value of R1.5 million.
Police have seized the suspected drugs and impounded the truck while the search for the driver continues.
The driver’s decision to abandon the vehicle has become a central part of the investigation, with officers expected to examine how he allegedly obtained control of the truck, who employed him and whether other people were involved in the suspected trafficking operation.
Truck allegedly monitored for weeks
Police said the interception followed weeks of monitoring and observations involving the truck.
Investigators had allegedly been tracking information about the vehicle’s movements and suspected role in transporting drugs between the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Patsa said officers acted after receiving intelligence that the truck was travelling towards Cape Town with dagga and other drugs.
The route and timing of the operation allowed police to stop the truck before the suspected consignment reached its intended destination.
The investigation will now focus on establishing where the drugs were loaded, who was due to receive them and whether the truck was used in other alleged drug movements.
The suspected drugs will also be examined and booked as exhibits as investigators prepare the case.
Police contact truck owner
After the driver fled, police contacted the owner of the truck and asked him to report to Parys SAPS.
The owner confirmed that the vehicle belonged to him but denied knowing anything about the drugs allegedly found inside it.
“The truck owner confirmed ownership of the vehicle but denied any knowledge of or association with the drugs found inside it. Police have seized the drugs and impounded the truck pending further investigations and the apprehension of the driver. An enquiry has been opened, and investigations are underway,” Patsa said.
The truck owner’s statement will form part of the investigation, but it does not settle the question of who knew about the suspected drugs or how they came to be inside the vehicle.
Police will examine the truck’s ownership records, employment arrangements, travel history and any communication between the driver and other people connected to the vehicle.
The driver’s identity has not been released, and no arrest had been announced at the latest update.
Dagga and Mandrax recovered
The seized consignment allegedly consisted of 452 one-kilogram bales of dagga and seven one-kilogram packs of Mandrax.
That amounts to hundreds of kilograms of suspected dagga and several kilograms of suspected Mandrax, although the final weight and chemical composition will be confirmed through forensic testing.
The estimated street value was put at R1.5 million by police.
The suspected drugs will be sent for analysis, and prosecutors will rely on the test results when deciding which charges to bring against anyone arrested in connection with the haul.
Police have not said whether the truck contained any other items of evidential value or whether weapons or cash were found.
The fact that the driver allegedly escaped before the search may complicate the investigation, but officers could use fingerprints, DNA, surveillance footage, phone records and the truck’s travel history to identify other suspects.
Search for driver continues
The driver remains the key person police want to locate.
He allegedly fled on foot after jumping from the moving vehicle near Parys SAPS, and officers have not confirmed whether he was carrying a phone, identification documents or other items that could help trace him.
Police may also review nearby CCTV footage and speak to residents or motorists who witnessed the escape.
The truck’s route from Cape Town towards the Gauteng area will be examined as part of the effort to identify the alleged source and destination of the consignment.
Investigators are also expected to establish whether the driver acted alone or was part of a wider network moving drugs between provinces.
The owner’s denial of knowledge will be tested against the evidence gathered during the investigation.
No person has been convicted in connection with the seizure, and the allegations remain subject to investigation.
Police warn against drug trafficking
The operation has highlighted the role of long-distance transport routes in the movement of drugs across provincial borders.
The N1 is one of the country’s busiest routes and connects major urban centres, making it an important corridor for legitimate freight as well as a potential route for criminal networks.
Police use intelligence, surveillance and targeted stops to identify vehicles suspected of carrying illegal goods.
In this case, the investigation reportedly continued for weeks before officers moved to intercept the truck.
The seizure prevented the suspected drugs from reaching their intended destination, but police still need to find the driver and determine who organised the shipment.
At the latest update, the truck had been impounded, suspected drugs worth R1.5 million had been seized and an enquiry had been opened.
The driver remained at large while investigators worked to identify everyone connected to the alleged trafficking operation.