A Pietermaritzburg couple and eight alleged runners were arrested during simultaneous raids at their homes.
|||Durban - A Pietermaritzburg couple - alleged to be among KwaZulu-Natal’s biggest dealers of crack cocaine - and eight alleged runners were arrested during simultaneous raids at their homes early on Friday.
The KZN Crime Intelligence Unit, Hawks, Tactical Response Team (TRT) and the dog unit swooped on the homes in Mars Crescent, Northdale, from 6am.
The couple had just completed their morning prayer for Ramadaan, when police hit.
The arrests came after a three-year undercover operation by crime intelligence and the Hawks.
It has been alleged the couple’s multimillion-rand drug empire was managed and controlled by the wife, 47. Her husband, 48, was an alleged runner.
They have allegedly been operating there for more than 15 years.
Many of their clients included well known businessmen and students, a senior police source said.
“During the intelligence drive, many of the clients were also profiled. We have compiled a database. They too will be interviewed in coming weeks,” the source said.
It is believed that several Pietermaritzburg policeman are also being investigated for offering “protection” to the couple.
The couple own three houses in the same road in Northdale from where drugs were allegedly sold.
Thousands of rands in cash (said to be at least R30 000) has been seized at some of the houses, Midlands police spokeswoman, Lieutenant Joey Jeevan, said.
She said the money had been stashed in shoe boxes, clothing pockets and in various spots in the houses. Police also seized hundreds of thousands of rands worth of Krugerrand coins and gold jewellery.
Jeevan said electronic equipment such as laptops and tablets were also seized.
Crack cocaine was found at one of the houses.
The source said the woman had attempted to prevent the police dogs from entering her house.
“She said she was fasting for Ramadaan and the (sniffer) dogs could not enter her house.”
The pair had allegedly bought R1 million worth of drugs a month from a wholesaler in Johanesburg and transported them by car to their Northdale home.
They allegedly recruited unemployed people from the community as runners.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit was also expected to seize the couple’s three homes in Northdale, a string of vehicles and other assets.
The unit made an application in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
In an unusual move, the seizure of the couple’s three houses will come into effect immediately.
The source said: “According to our investigations all the drug dealings took place in full view of their children.
“In the interest of the safety of the children the seizure application will come into effect immediately. The houses will be locked.
It will not be safe for the children to live in any of the houses.”
Social welfare was also expected to be called in, the source said.
The couple had been under surveillance for three years.
“There were reports of drug threats in the area for many years. But nothing was done.
“It seemed like they were getting protection from certain police officers,” the source said.
“Fortunately, high-ranking officers moved in and decided to clean up the area, which is notorious for drugs.”
The source said in the past year undercover agents had mobilised and allegedly bought drugs from the woman at her house on several occasions.
Three agents had also bought drugs from runners at the Golden Horse Casino and various shopping centres in Pietermaritzburg, the source said.
Recent transactions with the agents amounted to more than R60 000, the source said.
Deliveries were done throughout KwaZulu Natal.
“They live in Northdale in modest conditions. But they are extremely wealthy. They have a lot of assets.” He said the children - two sons and two daughters - were aged between 17 and 20.
He said rock cocaine was sold in blocks for between R1 200 and R1 800. The drug is smoked.
It is created from cocaine powder by mixing it with other substances, such as baking soda.
“The couple are running a sophisticated syndicate. They have a network of runners. We have no doubt that this couple are the drug kingpins in the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands areas.”
At the back of one house was a wooden hut, being used as a “smokehouse”.
When police arrived on Friday, they arrested five of the runners in the room, allegedly smoking crack.
Daily News
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