Durban — A 30-year-old man has appeared in court for drug dealing after he was arrested with various drugs to the street value of R235 000.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said that Darrel Shanmugam was arrested on Friday in Greenbury, Phoenix, by the Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation working together with Crime Intelligence, Ethekwini District Task Team, National Intervention Unit, Phoenix Trio Crimes Task Team and Durban K9 unit.
Mhlongo said the Shanmugam was arrested after members received information about a suspect who was dealing in drugs in the area.
“A search was conducted and members found pieces of rock cocaine, ecstasy tablets, cocaine powder, rock pipes and loose dagga to the street value of approximately R235 000,” Mhlongo said.
“Shanmugam was placed under arrest and charged for dealing in drugs. His licensed firearm was seized and will be sent for ballistic test to ascertain if it was used in the commission of any crime in the country.”
Mhlongo said Shanmugam briefly appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on yesterday and was remanded in custody.
He said the case was postponed to February 20, 2023.
Meanwhile, last week, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that a foreign national, aged 30, was arrested by the Provincial Drug and Firearm Task Team after he was found with drugs worth more than half a million rand.
Netshiunda said that on February 8, 2023, intelligence had directed the police to a house on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street in the Durban CBD and the suspect was spotted leaving the identified house.
“Upon searching him, the suspect was found in possession of packets of methcathinone. A further search at his apartment led to the recovery of 1.26kg of suspected cocaine powder and more methcathinone was also found. The estimated street value of the recovered drugs is R510 000,” Netshiunda said.
The suspect was expected to appear in court soon on charges of dealing in drugs.
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