Three additional suspects Rafiek Baderoen (44), Rashied Baderoen (48) and Michael Norman (38) appeared in the Strand Magistrate Court on Monday 14 June 2021.
This comes after they were arrested in Cape Town for their alleged links to the R400 Million worth of drugs uncovered on the N1 in Pretoria, on the 2 June 2021. Where a bakkie that was towing a 12-foot ski boat wherein 800 kg of compressed pure cocaine with an estimated street value of R400 million was found and a 39-year-old Niel Pieter Van Zyl was arrested.
The bust was made possible by the collaborative efforts from various crime busting elite organisations that include the FBI operation Trojan Shield and Australia, AFP operation Ironsides as well as the Hawks’ SANEB.
The cocaine was reportedly destined for both the local and international markets organised by a drug syndicate operating in the country allegedly stockpiling a large quantity of cocaine in Gauteng.
The additional suspects were linked through further investigation into a drug consignment and warrants of arrest were executed by the Western Cape Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) team on Saturday 12 June 2021.
When the team arrived on their premises in Cape Town they found several people and arrested three suspects. Upon conducting a search the team seized several cell phones, documentation and passports belonging to the suspects, for further investigation.
The trio were escorted to Pretoria from Cape Town under heavy police guard on the afternoon of 18 June 2021 and are expected to appear alongside Van Zyl in the Pretoria Magistrates court on Monday, 21 June 2021.
The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya welcomed the additional arrests. “This operation proves that it is only through collaborative effort that we will win the fight against syndicated crimes” said Lieutenant General Lebeya.
