Amsterdam – The driver of a white Toyota Camry, who was caught smuggling 16 huge bags of dagga from Eswatini into South Africa, has been remanded in custody.
The SA Police Service (SAPS) said the contraband has an estimated street value of over half of a million rand.
The 33-year-old accused, Mpumelelo Nkosi, appeared in the Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Wednesday on charges related to smuggling and dealing in dagga.
Nkosi was arrested by a team of specialised SAPS detectives in Lothair, near Ermelo, on Tuesday following a tip-off about a cannabis smuggling racket.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said the suspect was arrested while driving from the direction of the Eswatini border.
Brigadier Mohlala said when the suspect realised that the police were on his tail, he stopped his car and fled on foot.
The suspect was, however, cornered by the pursuing police officers. They brought him back to his car with the loot and arrested him.
“When the driver of the said car noticed the SAPS members he sped off. This was followed by a high-speed chase,” Mohlala said.
“In the process, the driver abandoned the vehicle and then ran on foot but the astute members caught up with him.”
Mohlala added: “A search on the car was conducted where about 16 bags full of dagga, weighing about 600kg to the estimated street value of about R800 000 were discovered inside the car.”
