Backroad bust: Northern Cape police raid rural drug den

THE NORTHERN Cape police are determined to ensure that even the most remote corners of the province are no longer safe havens for drug dealers, as they intensify their crackdown on crime through Operation Shanela 2.

Provincial police spokesperson Captain Ivan Magerman said that a suspected drug house in Kharkams, in the Kamieskroon area, was recently taken down during a late-night raid.

Acting on a tip-off from the community, members of the Springbok Public Order Police unit swooped on a residence in Berg Street, Kamieskroon, just before midnight on July 6. The operation led to the arrest of two suspects – a 45-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman – alleged to be running a local drug dealing operation.

Inside the property, officers uncovered an assortment of illegal substances, including cannabis, mandrax, and tik, with an estimated street value of R7,800. A substantial amount of cash, believed to be proceeds from drug sales, was also seized, along with bank cards and a cellphone.

The duo are facing charges of dealing in drugs and violating the National Credit Act. They are expected to appear in the Springbok Magistrate’s Court soon.

Captain Magerman said that the police in the Namakwa District have reaffirmed their commitment to rooting out drug trafficking and other criminal networks as part of the ongoing Operation Shanela 2, which continues to gain ground thanks to community co-operation and targeted enforcement.