Police seize dagga en-route to Emjindini
According to Elukwatini police spokesman, Const Peace Mbokane, they arrested a Swazi national, Solomon Maziya (43), on Monday, April 13 for allegedly transporting dagga with an estimated street value of R700 000.
Members of the Ekulindeni Police Station near Badplaas confiscated dagga worth thousands of rands before it could reach its final destination in Emjindini.
According to Elukwatini police spokesman, Const Peace Mbokane, they arrested a Swazi national, Solomon Maziya (43), on Monday, April 13 for allegedly transporting dagga with an estimated street value of R700 000.
The arrest came after police received information from concerned citizens about a charcoal-coloured Mazda light delivery vehicle, which was spotted, loaded to the brim of its canopy with bags of dagga.
“Const Jabulani Thomo and Joyce Masilela wasted no time and rushed to the scene. They manage to locate the vehicle, which was parked at a local spaza shop, easily,” said Mbokane.
He said the officers approached the car and found Maziya standing next to it. “He (Maziya) told the officers he was a passenger and that the driver whom he identified as Skhumbuzo Mathenjwa had fled the scene, leaving the car locked. He later confirmed to the officers that he and the driver both were from Siteki in Swaziland and they had smuggled the dagga through illegal entry ports with the intention of selling it in Emjindini,” said Mbokane.
The dagga was compressed in 18 black refuse bags and weighed about 178 kilograms.
Mbokane said upon being arrested, Maziya attempted to bribe the two officers with R5 000 in cash to evade arrest. The officers refused and he was nabbed on the spot.
Meanwhile, Maziya briefly appeared in the Eerstehoek Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday. He was, however, denied bail before reappearing in the same court on Thursday where he was finally granted a bail of R5 000. His next court appearance will be on May 4 in the same court.
The station commander of Ekulindeni, Capt Patrick Shabangu, was pleased with the manner in which the officers acted. “I am happy to have officials that remain steadfastly connected to their purpose and magnetted to their military convictions, who can look beyond bribes and honour the code of conduct”, said Shabangu.
