Police report R1.5m dagga seizure at Baobab Tollgate near Musina

Limpopo police say two men were arrested after officers found 991.5kg of dagga in a bakkie intercepted near Musina on Saturday.

The seizure took place at the Baobab Tollgate. Police estimated the value of the 33 bags at about R1.5 million and said the suspects were expected to appear in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 21 September.

According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, officers stopped the vehicle while it was travelling through the area. The bakkie’s canopy was secured with a padlock, but the occupants told police they did not have the key.

Vehicle searched at Beitbridge facility

Police instructed the driver to proceed to the Beitbridge border facility so the canopy could be opened in the occupants’ presence. Officers then found 33 bags containing what police identified as dagga.

The driver is 32 and the passenger is 41. Police described both men as Tanzanian nationals. Their names had not been released by the time of publication.

They face charges related to dealing in dagga. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the two men are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Limpopo provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Jan Scheepers commended the officers involved in the interception. Police said the operation formed part of continuing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking in the province.

Musina is a major transport point on the N1 close to the Zimbabwean border. The Beitbridge corridor carries large volumes of passenger and freight traffic between South Africa and the rest of the region.

Police had not disclosed the suspected origin or intended destination of the load. Those questions are expected to form part of the investigation.