Girls as young as 12 years have been found in the hands of adult men because of drugs.

This is according to Pheello Mlotshwa, who runs the Team Ngenelela 8303 non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Standerton. The organisation focuses on finding missing people and helping to curb criminal activity in the area.

Mlotshwa told the Standerton Advertiser last week that drugs are becoming an epidemic in the community.

“We are often asked to find a missing teenager, especially girls, who have not come home, and many times I have found them with a much older man who supplied drugs. I think there is an onslaught on our youth,” said Mlotshwa.

The drug problem in the Lekwa area is no secret. The police and the Hawks have arrested numerous people in the area and neighbouring towns, such as Volksrust, over the past year in connection with dealing and manufacturing drugs. Police have also uncovered massive drug manufacturing labs in and around Standerton.

The latest bust happened on March 11 when SAPS received information about drug-dealing activities in the Standerton area. Acting on this intelligence, members monitored the suspect and executed an operation, which led to his arrest.

During the operation, a 43-year-old man was found in possession of 510 tablets of Mandrax, weighing about 899 grams. The estimated street value of the drugs is R75 000.
The suspect was arrested and charged with dealing in drugs.

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