Five people believed to be members of a syndicate distributing and selling drugs in the North West and Gauteng appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrate's Court for dealing in drugs with an estimated street value of R2 million.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in the North West, Henry Mamothame, said the case against Veronica Agu, 30, Pascal Enuma Ezekwueme, 51, a Nigerian national, and Solomon Ezeh, 38, a Nigerian national, Robinson Ikechukwa Okoye, 44, a Nigerian national, and Kingsley Ikenna Onbumneme, 41, a Nigerian national to September 20, for formal bail application.
"The verification process to determine their status is under way and the State intends to oppose their bail application. "They are facing 14 counts of dealing with drugs, valued at over R2 million," Mamothame said.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (known as the Hawks) said the five were arrested during a takedown operation conducted in the North West and Gauteng on Wednesday.
Hawks spokesperson in the North West, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, said they were arrested in Potchefstroom, Hillbrow, and Fochville in Gauteng.
"Information was received about a syndicate alleged to be involved in the distribution and selling of illegal narcotics in the two provinces. The information was operationalised and the team pounced on the suspects at various identified houses," said Mathebula.
He said the alleged syndicate members were arrested by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit in collaboration with the National Intervention Unit, the Hawks' Tactical Operations Management Section), Stilfontein Dog Unit, Potchefstroom Drug Task Team, Ekurhuleni District Task Team and Bad Boyz Security.
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