Cookhouse SAPS Highway Patrol officers in action during the late-night vehicle checkpoint on the N10, which led to the arrest of two suspected drug traffickers.
Image: SAPS
A routine vehicle checkpoint on the N10 in the Eastern Cape turned into a major drug bust when Cookhouse South African Police Service (SAPS) Highway Patrol officers intercepted two suspected drug traffickers, including abalone poachers, with a hidden stash of Mandrax tablets worth around R170,000.
The bust took place on Sunday at around 11pm. Members of the Cookhouse SAPS Highway Patrol were conducting a routine vehicle checkpoint along the N10 when a white Opel Corsa bakkie with two male occupants was flagged down.
“During a routine search, police recovered a consignment of Mandrax tablets stashed inside a compartment of a side panel,” said police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli.
The meticulous search revealed the cleverly concealed drugs hidden in a compartment within the vehicle’s side panel.
The suspects, aged 30 and 31, were promptly arrested on the scene. They are expected to appear in court soon, facing charges of dealing in illicit drugs.
The SAPS highlighted the growing challenge posed by drug trafficking syndicates using key routes like the N10. However, the success of operations such as this underscores the effectiveness of highway patrol interventions.
“The Cookhouse SAPS Highway Patrol team is causing a dent on syndicates involved in illicit drug dealing,” said Nkohli.
IOL
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