KZN police bust dagga shops, seize R1.3m in drugs

Police have uncovered four dagga shops and recovered drugs worth over one million rand in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Picture: Saps Police have uncovered four dagga shops and recovered drugs worth more than one million rand in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Officers also arrested five suspects, aged between 22 and 41, on Thursday for dealing in drugs.

The arrest follows a successful operation conducted across four policing precincts within the eThekwini District. Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza, said the operation was conducted by the Provincial Organised Crime Narcotics and Organised Crime Threat Unit. “The unit followed intelligence about a suspect who was suspected to be dealing in cannabis from four of his shops located at Umbilo, Amanzimtoti, Brighton Beach and Montclair.

“On Thursday morning, the team executed the search warrant simultaneously on all targeted premises. The main suspect was arrested at a different location and was taken to his place of residence in Yellowpark, where more cannabis was recovered. The street value of the recovered cannabis is estimated to be R1.3 million,” Netshiunda said.

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All the arrested suspects were charged with dealing in drugs and will appear at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 20 March 2026. On Wednesday, in a separate incident,a motorist was arrested for possession of dagga following a high-speed chasein the Western Cape. It is understood that members of the Cape Town Traffic Roadblock Unit (RBT) were conducting a vehicle checkpoint on Spine Road in Khayelitsha when they attempted to stop a white Hyundai i20 for failing to display a valid licence disc.

Cape Town traffic spokesperson, Kevin Jacobs, said the incident occurred at about 7.55am. “The driver failed to comply with the lawful instruction and sped off, resulting in a high-speed pursuit. The chase continued towards Mfuleni, Driftsands, where the suspect’s vehicle eventually came to a stop after sustaining damage to its front axle and wheel.”

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