Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Tactical Response Unit officers arrested a suspect in Alexandra after discovering drugs and cash during a routine patrol.

According to JMPD, officers were patrolling in the community when they noticed five men standing together on the corner of 11th Avenue. When the officers approached and conducted a search, they found one man in possession of drugs. “

The officers found one plastic [bag] containing illegal substances – 10 small bags of Thai drugs – and money [amounting to] R1 242.40,” JMPD said in a statement.

The suspect allegedly confessed to selling drugs and led officers to a nearby bottle store where, according to JMPD, he took out another plastic with an additional 22 bags of Thai drugs. “The suspect was immediately arrested for possession and dealing in Thai drugs. In our efforts to ensure that the rule of law is maintained.”

Read more: Police need help to crack down on drug dealers

While the arrest forms part of JMPD’s broader mandate to uphold the law and combat crime in the community, local police have previously noted their struggle to crack down on those at the top of the drug distribution chain.

In a previous interview with Alex News, Station Commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane said that although arrests are made for drug dealing, police are often only catching runners – those who transport and sell drugs – not the main drug bosses in the community.

He explained that even when runners are held in custody and questioned, they are too afraid to share information that could lead to the arrest of people in charge of the whole operation.

Ngubane emphasised that community involvement in the fight against drugs is essential if police are to make any major impact. He urged residents to share anonymous tip‑offs with the police to help curb the scourge of crime in Alexandra.

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