Somalian smugglers granted bail
Two Somalians appeared in court on charges of possession of drugs on August 20.
MALALANE – Two Somalians appeared in court on charges of possession of drugs on August 20.
The two suspects, Mr Ismail Haron (39) and Mr Abukrkar Ali (43) were granted bail of R1 000 each and their trial was postponed to October 27.
The suspects were arrested in Air Street by local police units on Monday August 18.
According to police spokesman Const Bheki Nkosi, two local SAPS officers, constables Rudolf Madonsela and Mzwandinele Mabuza came across the two men. “Law enforcement pursued the men after they had violated a traffic law upon entering town. They, with the help of officers from another unit, pulled them over.
“They realised that the suspects appeared suspiciously nervous and then conducted a search of the charcoal-grey Mazda. To their surprise, they found six boxes, each weighing 10kg, of KHAT.”
The suspects appeared in the local Periodic Court that same day and their bail application was postponed to Wednesday.
According to Wikipedia, “Catha edulis is native to North-east Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It contains a monoamine alkaloid called cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant, which supposedly causes excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria.”
In some communities the chewing of this plant is a social custom.
