Caught in the act: Hawks arrest Nigerian nationals for drug dealing in South Africa
Nigerian nationals Kenechi Ndukaife Atuchukwu and Michael Okoya have been remanded in custody after being arrested in North West.
Image: Hawks
Nigerian nationals Kenechi Ndukaife Atuchukwu, and Michael Okoya have appeared before the Klerksdorp Magistrate's Court in North West, facing charges of possession of and dealing in drugs.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, said Atuchukwu and Okoya's appearance is the result of a lengthy investigation by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, with guidance from the National Prosecuting Authority's Organised Crime Component.
North West spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, said the investigation, which began in 2022, included an undercover operation where the 45-year-old Atuchukwu was allegedly caught red-handed selling drugs.
Following legal processes, a warrant of arrest was issued against Atuchukwu and executed on Friday in Klerksdorp.
"Atuchukwu is linked to a case involving his fellow countryman, Michael Okoya, who was arrested last week for alleged dealing in drugs," said Mathebula.
In an update on Wednesday, Mathebula said the matter was postponed to 29 September for a formal bail application while the accused Nigerian nationals remain in police custody.
Meanwhile, North West acting head of the Hawks, Brigadier Georgia Moos, and the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, have welcomed the arrests of the alleged drug dealers.
In December, IOL reported that police in North West arrested a 48-year-old Nigerian man and a 33-year-old South African woman on charges of unlawful possession of drugs and dealing in drugs.
The duo was nabbed by the Hawks, in collaboration with the North West provincial drug task team and Lichtenburg K9 unit.
At the time, Mathebula said the duo was arrested in Lichtenburg following information received about a Nigerian man who was alleged to be selling drugs in the area.
“An undercover operation was conducted, which led to the arrest of the pair soon after selling drugs valued at R40,000. [Around] 649 mandrax tablets, 40 packets of crystal meth and transparent plastic containing CAT drugs were seized,” said Mathebula.
“A search was conducted at the Nigerian man's house, where crystal meth with an estimated street value of R15,000 and CAT drugs valued at R6,000 were confiscated.”
Mathebula said when police officers were processing the suspects, the Nigerian man and 33-year-old South African woman, and a 28-year-old South African woman, alleged to be the Nigerian suspect’s girlfriend, attempted to bribe the police in a bid to secure her boyfriend’s release.
“She was subsequently arrested and charged with corruption,” said Mathebula.
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