Port Elizabeth police have arrested three men and seized dagga worth an estimated R2m on a smallholding in Chelsea.
Police spokesperson, Captain Johan Rheeder, said members of the K9 unit were acting on a tip-off that dagga was being grown and processed at three houses on the property.
He said several dagga plants were found growing around the houses as well as dagga being dried and processed inside.
“A bag containing dagga in small packets was also found already packed and possibly ready for sale,” he said.
The three men, aged between 24 and 52 will appear in PE magistrates’ court on Thursday.
Rheeder said in January, a 58-year-old woman was arrested and charged with dealing, possession and cultivation of dagga after police discovered over 1000 trees of dagga growing on a smallholding in Kragga Kamma.
On further inspection of a caravan and house, 300L of pure alcohol, measuring syringes, dry dagga, dagga oil and containers were found inside.
He said in March, two suspects were arrested at a house in Lorraine after police discovered a hydroponic drug laboratory. Drugs worth R500 000 was seized and two suspects arrested.
The Cluster Commander for Mount Road Cluster, Major-General Thembisile Patekile, said that the prevalence of drugs in the communities is a concern and “we will not rest until these drug peddlers and traffickers are arrested and their trade crippled permanently.”
