The Carolina Magistrate’s Court has found Mpendulo Raymond Vilakati, a 32-year-old man from the Kingdom of Eswatini, guilty of dealing in dagga. He was sentenced on Wednesday, 29 October 2025.
Vilakati was handed a fine of R50,000.00, which he paid, leading to his subsequent release. The court had stipulated that failure to pay the fine would result in a twelve-year prison sentence.
The conviction stems from an intelligence-driven operation on the evening of Monday, 27 October 2025. At approximately 18:30, members of the Crime Intelligence unit acted on a tip-off and intercepted a vehicle with a Gauteng registration number, towing a trailer, in the Carolina area. The vehicle was suspected of transporting dagga from Eswatini.
Upon searching the vehicle, authorities discovered 150 packets of compressed dagga. The total weight of the confiscated narcotics was approximately 156 kg, with an estimated street value of R936,000.00.
Preliminary investigations have confirmed that the intercepted vehicle belongs to Vilakati. Authorities have indicated that further investigations are underway to determine if the vehicle was used in the commission of other crimes.
