A 43-year-old alleged crime ‘king pin’ was caught with illegal drugs, guns and ammunition at his Sundumbili home, near Mandeni, this morning (January 29).

The suspect was said to be “stunned” at the arrival of iLembe district police, who seized a 9mm pistol with the serial number filed off, six live rounds of ammunition, 380 whoonga capsules and 100 pieces of rock cocaine.

“The suspect is allegedly a drug ‘king pin’ who is known to be supplying drugs in the Mandeni and Sundumbili Policing Precinct,” said iLembe Saps communication official, Priya Nunkumar.

The man was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of whoonga and possession of rock cocaine.

He will soon appear in the Nyoni Magistrates Court, while the gun will be sent for ballistic testing to determine if it has been used in any criminal activities.

The arrest was the latest in a series of police actions against drug dealers in iLembe since November.

The most recent arrest was on Tuesday, January 20, where a 29-year-old woman was arrested in Zamani Township, Darnall. Police found her in possession of 28 pieces of rock cocaine.

The operation was led by iLembe District Intelligence with support from the Umhlali K9 Unit. She was charged with possession of rock cocaine.

Swift action by Sundumbili Police also led to the arrest of a 45-year-old alleged drug dealer on Tuesday, January 20, following a community tip-off.

Police located and searched the man, seizing an unlicensed 9mm pistol with the serial number filed off, 15 live rounds of ammunition and one half-moon piece of rock cocaine. He appeared in Nyoni Magistrates Court and has been remanded in custody for further investigation.

Three additional people were arrested at the KwaDukuza Taxi Rank on Friday, January 15, during a joint operation involving iLembe District Intelligence, the provincial Tactical Joint Operations Centre and Durban K9.

A 21-year-old man was found with 10 mandrax tablets, another 21-year-old with 13 pieces of rock cocaine and 16 mandrax tablets and a 20-year-old with nine pieces of rock cocaine. All three were charged with possession of drugs.

Earlier this month, police also arrested two women in Nkobongo after uncovering 402 pieces of rock cocaine and 374 whoonga capsules at a residence, with an additional 10 pieces seized from a second suspect.

In Newtown, KwaDukuza, a 29-year-old foreign national was arrested on January 14 carrying 77 pieces of rock cocaine and five full-moon pieces, with the drugs valued at around R28 000.

Last December, officers dismantled a Groutville drug operation, seizing heroin worth R210 000, along with drug paraphernalia and a vehicle valued at R443 000.

A few weeks earlier, on November 17, two men were arrested at a Shaka’s Head estate after police recovered cocaine, crystal meth and methcathinone, collectively valued at about R40 000.

Police say these operations are part of an ongoing effort to disrupt drug networks across the district and to remove dangerous substances from local communities.

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