CAPE TOWN - A man who was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) on Monday for possession of drugs worth R4.1 million appeared in the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The Tanzanian national, 44-year-old Ambweme Samson Killas, made a brief court appearance on a charge of allegedly dealing in drugs.
He has notified the court that he will be applying for bail.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Zinzi Hani, Killas remains in custody, and the matter against him has been postponed until December 14.
Killas was arrested after members attached to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, together with Crime Intelligence's Counter Narcotics and Gangs in the Western Cape, reacted to information received about a vehicle regularly visiting different storage facilities in the Durbanville area and allegedly transporting compressed dagga in the Brackenfell area.
Hani said the vehicle was monitored and spotted leaving the two storage facilities.
The joint police team stopped and searched the vehicle with one occupant inside.
She said compressed dagga weighing 20 kilograms was found in the back seat of the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle was taken back to the storage facility by officers.
Hani said upon arrival, further investigation led to the discovery of another storage space in the same facility.
“The two storage facilities were then opened consecutively and more compressed dagga were found.
“In the first storage space, 578.90 kilograms of dagga was found and seized, and in the second storage space, 185.80 kilograms of dagga was also found as well as 1.410kg of tik (crystal meth) plus an undisclosed amount of cash.
“This confiscation came to a total street value of more than over R4.1 million,” she added.
IOL