Niël Terblanché
The police in the Erongo Region lauded the residents of coastal towns for their cooperation in sharing information that led to the arrest of three suspected drug dealers.
Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the Erongo police’s community affairs division, said the information led to the successful conclusion of an operation to prevent the sale of huge stashes of cannabis on the streets of the major towns at the coast.
He said the first arrest was made at a house in Twahangana Street in the Kuisebmond neighbourhood of Walvis Bay on Thursday morning at approximately 11:30
“Information was received from a source about a certain stash house where drugs were hidden on a large scale. Search warrants were obtained in this regard and drugs were recovered which led to the arrest of the accused person,” he added.
He said the arresting officers discovered 9,435 grams of skunk cannabis and 2,645 grams of lower-quality cannabis, also known as madjad.
The value of the dependence-producing drugs found in the suspect’s house is estimated at N$498,200.
“In this regard, a 55-year-old man was taken into custody,” he said.
In an earlier raid on Tuesday in the Tutaleni suburb of Kuisebmond carried out by investigating officers at a house in Uugwanga Street, a 26-year-old man was apprehended and charged with dealing in dependence-producing drugs as well as the possession of illicit substances
Shapumba said that information about the drugs being stored in the house was received via the police’s suggestion box.
“The information received stated that the drugs were being stored and sold from the premises,” he said
He said that drug law enforcement officers and members of the special reserve force sub-division attended promptly to the information which led to the discovery of the drugs and the arrest of the suspect.
The arresting officers discovered 427 grams of skunk cannabis, 36 grams of madjad and three halves of mandrax tablets worth approximately N$21,860 in the house.
On Monday drug law enforcement officers along with reservists responded to information received from the public about a large consignment of drugs being stored at a house in Daureb Street in the Mondesa neighbourhood of Swakopmund.
During the raid, the arresting officers discovered 3,976 grams of cannabis with an estimated value of N$198,800 inside.
According to Shapumba a 34-year-old man was arrested and charged with the possession of and dealing in illicit drugs.
“We also congratulate all our members and reservists who were involved in these operations. If people continue to deal drugs, we will spare no time for them. We will arrest them until they stop,” Shapumba warned.
