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Hawks bust 'blade runners' for cocaine operation |
| A Nigerian drug syndicate alleged to have smuggled pure cocaine into South Africa hidden inside a consignment of knives from India has been smashed by the Hawks. The five men and a South African woman - who is married to one of them - are alleged to have been running their operation from a flat in Kempton Park, where they would break open the knives with an angle grinder and then sell the cocaine from the same premises. The six were expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court today. Musa Zondi, spokesman for the crime-fighting unit, said the suspects had been apprehended during the raid, which took place on Thursday night. He said the suspects were believed to have been taking delivery of shipments of knives brought in from Mumbai. The packages had been flown into South Africa and then delivered to the suspects by a courier company. Zondi said the Kempton Park Hawks were made aware of the operation by a resident in the block of flats who reported grinding sounds emanating from the suspects' flat. He said that people in the area during the raid confirmed that drugs were being sold from the flat. Zondi said the suspects had attempted to throw some of the goods out of a window. He said detectives found about 2kg of cocaine that had already been retrieved from the knives, but that more was believed to be inside the others seized. It is estimated that police managed to take possession of cocaine valued at about R4 million. Zondi said it was clear that the flat had been used as an operational base, and the stove in the kitchen had been covered in a layer of fine white powder as it had been used to dry the damp stash retrieved from inside the knives. Unit commander Senior Superintendent Lebakeng Siane thanked the person who had reported the illicit operation to the police. Zondi said the Asset Forfeiture Unit was planning to attach all property owned by the suspects. At least two cars, as well as instruments used in the operation, had been seized. By Gill GIfford The Star 08/01/10e1 Click here to respond to this article - Your responses will get vetted and printed on "Have your Say" |
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