Four men linked to Pretoria N1 R400m drug bust to appear in court
Earlier this month, the police arrested one suspect on the N1 north Pretoria towing a 12-foot ski boat with cocaine with an estimated street value of R400-million. Since then, three additional arrests have been made.
Four suspects linked to R400-million worth of drugs uncovered on the N1 in Pretoria are set to appear at the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Monday.
On June 2, the Hawks arrested a 39-year-old man Niel Pieter Van Zyl after finding 800kg of compressed pure cocaine with an estimated street value of R400-million.
Van Zyl was travelling in a bakkie, towing a 12-foot ski boat wherein the drugs were found.
Since then, Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said police also arrested Rafiek Baderoen (44), Rashied Baderoen (48) and Michael Norman (38) in Cape Town.
On Monday, the suspects appeared at the Strand magistrate’s court in the Western Cape.
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“The additional suspects were linked through further investigation to a drug consignment. Arrest warrants were executed by the Western Cape Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (Saneb) team on Saturday, June 12,” he said.
“The trio were escorted to Pretoria from Cape Town under heavy police guard this afternoon (Friday) and are expected to appear alongside Van Zyl in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Monday, June 21.”
Nkwalase said the cocaine was reportedly destined for both local and international markets, organised by a drug syndicate operating in the country reportedly stockpiling a large quantity of cocaine in Gauteng.
ALSO READ : One arrested in R400-million drug bust
Nkwalase said the National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, has welcomed the additional arrests.
“This operation proves that it is only through collaborative effort that we will win the fight against syndicated crimes,” said Lieutenant General Lebeya.
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