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PRETORIA – Three police officers have been arrested in Johannesburg for possession of at least 552 bricks of cocaine with an estimated street value of R200 million which was stashed in a police vehicle, a Nissan bakkie.
“A police vehicle from SAPS Booysens responded swiftly to a complaint of a suspected hijacked cargo truck at Aeroton business premises in Johannesburg. Upon arrival, police found a black Nissan bakkie parked with 23 big bags containing cocaine with the estimated street value of R200 million,” SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Brenda Muridili, said.
“Upon interviewing the driver of the bakkie, it was discovered that he is a police warrant officer attached to Zonkezizwe police station and that the bakkie is a state vehicle. He was placed under arrest on the scene together with his three accomplices, another police warrant officer attached to National Investigative Unit, a Gauteng chief traffic officer and a civilian.”
The police seized 552 bricks of cocaine and four vehicles – a grey BMW, a Volkswagen GTI, a Kia Cerato and the Nissan bakkie. An amount of R60,000 in cash was also seized.
“It is reported that the cargo truck which was travelling from Durban harbour was followed by the suspects’ vehicles from N3 near Leondale to its destination in Aeroton warehouse [in Gauteng],” Muridili said.
At the warehouse, the group of robbers which included police officers allegedly removed the consignment from the truck and loaded it into the bakkie.
The Booysens police officers intercepted the suspects’ as they were about to flee from the scene.
“The suspects aged between 35 and 42 will be appearing in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court facing charges that include robbery, dealing in drugs and defeating the ends of justice on Monday, 12 July 2021,” Muridili said.
The police did not say who the owners of the truck where, nor did they divulge whether the owners of the truck were suspected of being involved in the drug smuggling.
African News Agency (ANA)
