500 drug dealers arrested in the last 6 months in the Western Cape

By Ilhaam Hoosain
13 November 2007

Ebrahim Rasool, Premier of the Western Cape said on Monday that government is winning the war against drugs.

Rasool, who was briefing the media in Cape Town on the provincial government's half annual delivery report card, said that this financial year is only half way through and police have already arrested 374 high flyers, confiscated 37 558 grams of mandrax, 6 499 grams of tik and 4 447 grams of heroin.

In the last six months 500 drug dealers were arrested.

"Police had shut down some of the main drug supply points. Police have also successfully broken down and closed four tik factories which were running in Sea Point," says Rasool.

He credited the government's decision to deploy its most talented and senior police officers on the ground.

"Nineteen senior police officers from the level of Director to Senior Superintendent have been deployed to lead the war against drugs in the 21 priorities areas," says Rasool.

Police stations in drug hot-spots such as Mitchells Plain and Kraaifontein are headed by police directors. According to Rasool 29 Local Drug Action Committees were operational in 14 prioritised areas and an additional 24 were currently in the process of being established.