NATIONAL NEWS - A multidisciplinary operation by the Hawks in Mpumalanga has led to the arrest of a 71-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman after a dagga plantation, processed dagga extract, firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were discovered at a farm outside Nelspruit.
The two suspects are expected to appear in the Nelspruit District Court today.
The operation was conducted on Wednesday after the Hawks received intelligence that dagga was allegedly being cultivated and stored at a farm in the Nelspruit area.
The Hawks’ Nelspruit Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit opened an enquiry and launched an investigation.
The intelligence was then acted on through a coordinated operation involving SOCI, the White River K9 unit, the National Intervention Unit (NIU), Tactical Response Team (TRT) and the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) in Nelspruit.
During the search of the premises, officers discovered an established dagga plantation, processed dagga extract, two rifles, two handguns and a substantial quantity of live ammunition.
According to the Hawks, preliminary information indicates that the firearm licences had expired.
The two suspects were arrested and face charges under the Firearms Control Act and the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, including the cultivation and possession of dagga.
Mpumalanga Hawks Provincial Head Major General Nico Gerber welcomed the coordinated operation, saying multidisciplinary interventions were vital in tackling criminal activities involving drugs and illegal firearms.
“This operation demonstrates the value of intelligence-led and multidisciplinary policing. By bringing together specialised capabilities, we were able to move from information to decisive action, disrupting the cultivation and possession of dagga, while simultaneously removing firearms and ammunition from the environment,” Gerber said.
He added that the Hawks would continue working with other law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle criminal activities that threaten the safety of communities.
The investigation is continuing, with additional charges possible as the seized items undergo further assessment. – SAnews.gov.za
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