Metro Police officers who were conducting a stop-and-search patrol in Kensington over the weekend arrested a 26-year-old male suspect who was found to be in possession of the illegal substances of tik, mandrax tablets and dagga. He was detained at the South African Police Service station in Kensington.

'Enforcement efforts that result in arrests and the confiscation of drugs are important interventions in crime prevention.

'The trade and distribution of narcotics destroy the very social fabric of our communities and I would like to commend these officers for their dedication and hard work. Our communities are suffering from the scourge of drug abuse and every unit confiscated is a success,' said Alderman Smith.

Metro Police's K9 Unit also assisted the SAPS during a crime prevention operation in Parklands and executed search warrants. One of these warrants led to the arrests of two males, aged 35 and 41 respectively, for being in possession of illegal substances which included tik and packaging material for illegal substances. The suspects were detained at the Table View SAPS station.  

The confiscated items in the two stop-and-search operations include:

• five packets containing tik
• six mandrax tablets
• five dagga 'stoppe'
• R500 in cash
• one bag containing Khat
• one packet containing tik
• six packets containing dagga
• one silver scale
• plastic bags that can be zipped closed

Enforcement interventions were also carried out on the City's roads where Metro Police officers issued 545 traffic fines and 71 by-law notices. Regular patrols on the N2 and R300 roadways will stay a priority so that motorists who get stuck next to the road due to vehicle troubles can be assisted.

'We will intensify our efforts to arrest criminals and to get them off the streets. We will not tolerate flagrant abuse of the law and selfish criminal behavior which is so typical of people who have a total disregard for the law. I hope these arrests will lead to successful prosecutions and that it will set an example to those who keep on breaking the law,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

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