Taxi operators root drugs out of Brown Street again
There are no nyaope boys at Brown Street in the city centre after taxi operators’ massive operation last Friday.
Taxi operators have bitten the bullet to clean up the city’s notorious drug mecca in Brown Street.
Taxi marshal Mishack Moila said they kicked out drug addicts and dealers last Friday, chasing away users of dagga and of the deadly and highly addictive drug called nyaope. Drug dealers in the street were also closed down.
This was a huge relief for taxi operators and commuters, who were daily targets of muggers and pickpockets in the area.
“We usually end up contributing money to help affected commuters to pay for transport to their respective journeys after they were mugged,” said Moila.
“Crime taking place in the area frustrate us as it kills our businesses. People are afraid to come and catch our taxis because of criminals operating in the area.”
Drugs in the area have been a problem for almost a decade and a number of police attempts to fight the drug scourge in the street have so far proved to be unsuccessful.
In 2011, the local taxi industry also took the law into their own hands in a bid to root our drugs. Police, however, arrived in their numbers to arrest the taxi drivers for various charges, including assault.
This led to suspicions that the drug dealers and the police might be in cahoots.
Taxi driver Thabo Lebelo believed dealers Brown Street had close links with certain police officers, saying policemen had been seen visiting suspected drug dealers in the area, taking money from them.
Moila said: “Brown Street is only about 100m long. It is unbelievable that police with all the resources could fail to fight against drugs in this area.”
Rekord has on numerous occasions reported on the drug problem in Brown Street.
Police said this week they were aware of the action by taxi operators to clean up the street and were keeping watch.
Central police spokesperson Sergeant Ann Poortman confirmed that there were no nyaope boys in Brown Street after the clampdown, but warned that illegal conduct by the taxi operators would not be tolerated.
“No charges of assault have been laid yet. Should such charges be laid, we will definitely act.”
Poortman said police were arresting people for drugs on a daily bases in the city centre, including Brown Street.
Taxi operators said their operation to fight drugs and crime in the area would continue.
Also read:
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
