Upington court delivers hefty sentence in cross-border drug smuggling case

A 42-YEAR-OLD man from the Kingdom of Eswatini has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars after being caught attempting to smuggle drugs into South Africa – and trying to bribe his way out of trouble.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe said that the Upington Regional Court handed down the sentence this week, wrapping up a case that began in May 2023 when the police stopped a truck at the Nakop border post between South Africa and Namibia. 

Officers conducting routine checks discovered suspicious bags belonging to the truck’s passenger, later identified as Samson Vusi Dlamini.

Upon inspection, the bags were found to contain narcotics. In a bid to avoid arrest, Dlamini allegedly tried to offer an officer a R2,000 bribe. But the plan backfired.

The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in Upington was called in and took over the case. Dlamini was arrested and remained behind bars throughout the legal process.

On May 23, the court convicted him on two charges – dealing in drugs and corruption. He was sentenced this week to 15 years’ direct imprisonment for drug trafficking, and an additional five years for the attempted bribery.

The provincial head of the Hawks in the Northern Cape, Major-General Stephen Molefi Mabuela, praised the efforts of the South African Police Services members involved in the case, saying that collaboration in the fight against crime consistently delivers results. He emphasised the need to continue strengthening these partnerships.