16 in court for involvement in drug-trafficking syndicate

Update

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The 16 suspects who were arrested during the take-down of a syndicate of drug traffickers yesterday, Thursday 16 March, appeared in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court earlier today.

Three of them, Vladimir Gordon (36), Louis Emezo (36) and Malvyn Jacobs (44), are from George.

They appeared alongside Manfred John (36), Marshal Mclune (32), Madalyna Adams (26), Vincent Goba (49), August Wild (48), Ann Erasmus (58), Vivian Arries (46), Wilburg Paulsen (39), Arlington Hurling (40), Shaun Hendricks (40), Chantelle Manevill (26) and Reginald Fillies (58), collectively from Oudtshoorn, Gqeberha, Ladismith, De Rust and Calitzdorp.
The arrests stem from a series of raids across the Southern Cape and Gqeberha.

All the accused are in custody except Maladyna Adams, who is out on warning. The case was postponed until 20 March for the accused to appoint legal representation. They face charges of dealing in drugs, money laundering and a pattern of racketeering activity.

It is reported that the main target has been operating in the drug trade in the Oudtshoorn area for decades.

According to a spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Zinzi Hani, search warrants were executed by a multi-disciplinary team led by the Hawks in the Western Cape together with Crime Intelligence, the Oudtshoorn K9 Unit, District Crime Combatting Team, public order policing unit (Pops) as well as the Hawks teams based in George, Beaufort West and the Eastern Cape.

“This syndicate was mainly operating in the Garden Route District (George, De Rust, Oudtshoorn, Ladismith, Pacaltsdorp and Calitzdorp). The main suppliers of these drugs are from George and Gqeberha. Since the inception of this operation from
2019 until March 2023, a total of 5 354 Mandrax tablets and 816 grams of tik to the value of R421 070 was seized from the suspects. Consequently, a total of 32 cases were registered with 54 charges,” Hani said.

Vladimir Gordon