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- Sixteen members of a suspected drug-trafficking syndicate have been arrested in raids in Western Cape and Eastern Cape towns.
- It is believed that the syndicate controlled the southern Cape region.
- The 16 people face charges of dealing in drugs, money laundering and racketeering.
A series of raids at the break of dawn on Thursday "dismantled" an alleged drug-trafficking syndicate and culminated in the arrests of 16 people in six towns – five in the Western Cape and one in the Eastern Cape.
"The takedown operation dismantled a syndicate of drug traffickers controlling the southern Cape region at the break of dawn on Thursday in their respective residences. This syndicate was mainly operating in the Garden Route district," Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said.
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"The main suppliers of these drugs are from George and Gqeberha. It is reported that the main target has been operating for decades in dealing in drugs in the Oudtshoorn area."
The Hawks, Crime Intelligence, Oudtshoorn K9 Unit, District Crime Combating Team, and Public Order Police Unit carried out the operation.
Seven people were arrested in Oudtshoorn, three in George, one in Gqeberha, one in Ladismith, two in De Rust and two in Calitsdorp.
They face charges of dealing in drugs, money laundering and racketeering and are expected to appear in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate's Court on Friday.
READ | Cape Town woman arrested in R1.5 million drug bust released without charge
Meanwhile, Cape Town Metro Police officers recovered drugs with a street value of more than R1 million on Thursday.
Officers received a tip-off about drugs in transit in Strand and tracked down the target vehicle.
Two hundred mandrax tablets and more than 2kg of tik were seized.
Metro Police spokesperson Ruth Solomons added that the officers were led to a house where they found around 6 500 mandrax tablets and 1.5kg of tik.
Three men, aged between 33 and 43, and a 35-year-old woman were arrested.
