Four suspects, aged between 31 and 37, were arrested on February 13 for dealing drugs at a shopping complex in White River.

According to the Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the SAPS received information about a Nigerian national allegedly selling drugs in and around White River.

“The suspect was reportedly using a grey Mercedes-Benz with Mpumalanga registration plates and was allegedly charging R300 per packet. The police conducted a successful undercover buy-and-bust operation. An undercover agent was provided with marked money, the serial numbers of which were photographed beforehand,” she said.

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Ndubane added that police members, including the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and K9 Unit, staged an ambush operation at the identified location where the transaction was expected to take place.

“At about 11:30, police observed the suspect arriving at the parking area in the identified vehicle, accompanied by three other men. The vehicle made a U-turn to meet the undercover agent. Shortly after, the agent signalled that the transaction had been completed. The police team immediately moved in and stopped the vehicle,” she explained.

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She said that upon searching the suspect, police recovered the R300 with the same serial numbers recorded earlier. A plastic packet containing crystal methamphetamine was also found.

The vehicle was subsequently taken to the K9 Unit for a thorough search, during which additional crystal methamphetamine packaged in small tin containers was discovered. The vehicle, which belongs to the suspect, was also confiscated for further investigation.

All four suspects were arrested and are expected to appear at White River Magistrate’s Court on February 16.