LOOK: Drug traffickers hide crystal meth inside wrapped books — suspect arrested on N4
Police discovered 1.4kg of crystal meth worth about R350,000 concealed between the pages of two wrapped books.
Image: SAPS
Police in Mpumalanga have uncovered a stash of crystal meth concealed inside two books wrapped in decorative paper, leading to the arrest of a 41-year-old man along the N4 near Kaapmuiden.
According to police, an officer on patrol received a tip-off on Saturday morning about a suspicious man standing next to the road.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said when the patrolling officer searched the man’s bag, he found the two neatly wrapped books.
"Upon opening the books, he discovered white compressed substances. The officer then asked the man if he knew what the content was," said Ndubane.
The drugs weighed 1.455 kilogrammes and had an estimated street value of about R350,000.
The suspect told the officer he did not know what the books contained, claiming a stranger had allegedly taken him off the street, handed him the package, and ordered him to deliver it to Mozambique.
The arrested man claimed he was meant to continue to Brazil after the drop-off.
The 41-year-old man was charged with drug possession and was scheduled to appear before the Barberton Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga.
In August, IOL reported that police in Limpopo seized four vehicles, worth over R2 million, which were used to transport a consignment of dagga from Mpumalanga.
Provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said the dagga worth R580,000 was found at Ga-Magongwa Village.
“It is reported that the police received leads about three vehicles transporting dagga, and the operation was activated. Three vehicles were spotted driving at high speed along the N11 road. The vehicles were tracked until they entered an unoccupied home building at Ga-Magongwa Village,” said Ledwaba.
Immediately, a fourth vehicle also arrived on the scene.
When the suspects noticed a police-marked vehicle, they fled the scene on foot to evade arrest.
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