LIMPOPO – The DA says the recent seizure of dagga worth an estimated R11 million near Hoedspruit highlights what it believes is a growing drug-trafficking problem in Limpopo.

The comments follow an operation in which three suspects were arrested after 130 bags of dagga were found in two vehicles travelling along the R527 near Hoedspruit.

Read more: R11m dagga bust near Hoedspruit, 3 arrested

Reacting to the arrests, DA provincial spokesperson for Transport and Community Safety, Marie Helm, said provincial crime statistics presented by provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe show a rise in drug-related crime in the province.

Drug-related offences increased from 2 340 cases to 2 825 cases during the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, representing an increase of 485 cases compared to the previous year.

Helm noted that drug-related crimes fall under the category of offences detected through police action, meaning arrests and seizures reflect proactive policing efforts.

However, she argued that the continued rise in cases suggests drug trafficking remains a significant challenge in the province.