Police Crack Down on Substance Abuse in Garden Route District, Arresting 70 Over the Weekend

In a significant drive to stem substance abuse, an underlying factor in serious and violent crimes, Garden Route District police launched a series of operations over a weekend, resulting in the arrest of 70 individuals for drug and liquor-related offenses. These operations were part of a concerted effort to disrupt the flow of narcotics and unlicensed alcohol trading within the area, which has direct implications for the urgent challenge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV) plaguing this region of South Africa.

With a multi-pronged action plan including sting operations, focused interventions, and thorough stop-and-search activities, the police were successful in detaining 62 suspects on charges of drug possession, while another six were held for their alleged involvement in drug dealing. The substances seized in these operations included tik (methamphetamine), mandrax (methaqualone), and dagga (cannabis), with the majority of arrests occurring in George. Here, the subdivisions of Conville, the George police jurisdiction, and Pacaltsdorp witnessed substantial police action.

Highlighting the thoroughness of the police action, a noteworthy operation conducted by the Oudtshoorn Crime Prevention Unit and Crime Intelligence took place at the Oudtshoorn taxi rank on Thursday, August 8, 2024. This culminated in the seizure of tik and a quantity of Mandrax, resulting in the arrest of two individuals on charges of drug dealing.

Continuing the crackdown, the Garden Route Crime Combatting Team collaborated with the Knysna Crime Prevention Unit performing a search at a residence in Concordia, Knysna, on Saturday, August 10, 2024. This led to the discovery of 811 grams of tik and the subsequent apprehension of an undocumented 31-year-old person on charges of drug dealing.

Simultaneously addressing the illegal liquor trade, two suspects, aged 41 and 45, were arrested for selling liquor without licenses at The Crags in Plettenberg and Da Gamaskop in Mossel Bay, with officers confiscating 326 liters of various alcoholic brands.

The individuals apprehended during these operations are expected to face their respective charges in court. These strategic efforts underscore the committed stance of the local police in mitigating the challenges posed by substance abuse while fostering safer communities in the Garden Route District. Enhanced vigilance and ongoing operations underline the police's dedication to this cause, which also includes countering the pervasive scourge of GBV in the area.