Steven Klukowski
KEETMANSHOOP – The police in the //Kharas Region seized 216 kg of cannabis worth N1.8 million last week Thursday close to Keetmanshoop along the B1 main road.
“The huge success of this operation can be ascribed to the vigilance of officers travelling from Tses to Keetmanshoop for court cases,” Commissioner Rudolf Isaak, regional commander for the police force in the //Kharas Region, informed the media at a press conference.
According to Isaak his members observed suspicious movements of people offloading a heavy truck they passed and upon further investigation came across the massive consignment of cannabis.
In addition, cash of N$19 000 was also confiscated whilst the truck (on its way from South Africa to Windhoek) and two private vehicles involved were also impounded.
“Five suspects whose ages range from 22 to 46 years were arrested at the crime scene and will appear in court next Tuesday whilst police investigations continue,” said Isaak.
The regional commander further praised the senior and junior police officers in //Kharas for their outstanding performances leading to the almost daily arrest of suspects for drug-related crimes. He furthermore warned that his officers “will leave no stone unturned when it comes to drugs, the overloading of passengers, reckless and negligent driving, selling alcohol to under-age children”. He warned those perpetrating crime that they would face the full wrath of the law.
He said that if such huge amounts of illicit drugs are not detected and impounded by law enforcement agents, they can cause great harm to children and ruin their future.
When probed about the safekeeping of the cannabis as evidence, based on the recent disappearance of drugs as exhibits in Keetmanshoop for which police officers appeared in court as accused, Isaak responded that that case is still under investigation, but however assured that the latest huge consignment of confiscated cannabis will be will be kept safely in a strong-room.
A South African citizen was arrested last December at the Keetmanshoop road traffic checkpoint for illegally transporting 244 kg of cannabis worth N$2.4 million into Namibia, which was confirmed with the regional commander as the largest amount of dagga ever seized by the police in //Kharas.