Eswatini national fined R50 000 for dealing in dagga
An intelligence-led operation resulted in the arrest of an Eswatini man in Carolina.
A 32-year-old man from the Kingdom of Eswatini, Mpendulo Raymond Vilakati, was found guilty of dealing in dagga and sentenced to a fine of R50 000 or, in default of payment, twelve years’ imprisonment.
On Monday, October 27, at around 18:30, intelligence-led information prompted the arrest of Vilakati. He was driving a vehicle with a Gauteng license plate and towing a trailer suspected of transporting dagga from the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Crime Intelligence officers intercepted the vehicle in Carolina, where they discovered 150 packets of compressed dagga, weighing approximately 156kg, with an estimated street value of R936 000.
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Vilakati appeared in the Carolina Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, October 29, on charges of dealing in dagga. He was found guilty, paid the R50 000 fine, and was subsequently released.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the vehicle belonged to Vilakati. Further inquiries are under way to determine whether it was used in other criminal activities.
