A 62-year-old man with a massive Mandax haul hidden in his car has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Chad Berry, the suspect, was stopped in October 2022 at a Vehicle Check Point (VCP) on the N1 near Beaufort West, said Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi.
“During the operation a suspicious silver Toyota Grande with one occupant was stopped and searched. During the search, a false compartment was discovered where 50 packets containing Mandrax tablets were found to the value of R2.5 million. Cash to the amount of R11,500 was also found,” said Vukubi.
The Beaufort West Regional Court found guilty of drug dealing and handed down a 12-year sentence on February 25.
The court ordered the confiscated cash to be forfeited to the state and deposited into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA).
The head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as Hawks, Major General Makgato, welcomed the conviction and praised the teamwork that led the suspect’s arrest. He said efforts like this were key in tackling the drug trade.
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