Two men were arrested and a large quantity of dagga recovered yesterday (Wednesday) morning after Ladysmith Visible Policing officers spotted a suspicious-looking bakkie in Helpmekaar Road.
The ‘Delta Squad’ (Ladysmith Visible Policing) officers were conducting patrols in Sector 1 area, Ladysmith, when they noticed a white Isuzu bakkie travelling at high speed along Helpmekaar Road.
They followed the vehicle and it wasn’t long before the driver turned off onto the N11 (Newcastle road). A short while later, the bakkie made a sudden stop and a passenger jumped out and ran towards nearby bushes. The two officers in the patrol van suspected that something was amiss when the vehicle stopped.
One of them gave chase and soon apprehended the fleeing man, while the other stayed with the bakkie. On questioning the man as to why he was running away from police, he confessed that he and his ‘partner’ (the driver of the bakkie) were transporting dagga. 11 large bags of dagga were found in the bin of the vehicle.
The duo were placed under arrest and their vehicle has been impounded. Each of the bags had been carefully marked, and police are now investigating the origin as well as the destination of the drugs. The dagga weighed in at 411kg, with an estimated street value of just under half a million rand. The two suspects are appearing in court today (Thursday), facing charges of possession of dagga.
The two police officers involved in the arrests and recovery have been praised by Ladysmith Acting Cluster Commander, Colonel TM Mngadi, for their vigilance and dedication.
