A 28s gang member has been sentenced, by a Western Cape court, to five years in prison after he confessed to drug dealing.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Denver Kroutz, 33, pleaded guilty, at the Khayelitsha Priority Crimes Court, after police arrested his girlfriend during a raid.
Police found 506 Mandrax tablets during the raid.
The NPA said Kroutz was not present at the time.
“The accused realised that his girlfriend was in trouble and decided to plead guilty. Police and Provincial Organised Crime received information from a source as to where the drugs were “channelled” or hidden. They obtained a search warrant and searched the address, which is the house of the accused,” the NPA’s media statement reads.
State advocate John Reyneveld told the court that Kroutz was guilty in that he admitted that he was an active member of the 28s criminal gang of Sherwood Park, Atlantis. For this charge he was convicted and sentenced to three years direct imprisonment.
Kroutz also confessed to arranging for his Mandrax tablets to be sold from his house during his time in prison for earlier crimes.
He also pleaded guilty to dealing in drugs, for his own benefit and that of the 28s gang in Atlantis. He was convicted and sentenced to two years direct imprisonment.
Ryeneveld encouraged members of the community to come forward and to provide police with information to close in on gang activity.
“This was indeed a victory for the community of Sherwood Park. The accused was arrested on numerous occasions for possession of drugs but police could never secure a conviction, let alone a conviction in terms of Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
He’s girlfriend was later released.
Source: News24
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