FREE STATE – Authorities from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Welkom Anti-Gang Unit have successfully apprehended two alleged drug dealers in Parys, marking a significant breakthrough in local efforts to dismantle illicit substance distribution networks in the Tumahole area.
On Thursday, 23 July 2026, members of Section C2 of the Anti-Gang Unit redirected their operational resources from Deneysville to intensify crime-combatting measures in Parys. During a standard patrol through the Tumahole industrial zone, officers identified a group of men congregating under a tree in close proximity to a local scrapyard.
Upon the officers’ discreet approach to initiate a search, the individuals scattered and fled on foot in separate directions. Law enforcement personnel gave chase to one suspect heading toward the Tokoloho Section, ultimately detaining him within the boundaries of the Tokoloho Cemetery. A subsequent search of the individual uncovered an undisclosed sum of cash and a quantity of Nyaope concealed inside his footwear, leading to his immediate arrest.
Officers then resumed their sweep of the vicinity, returning to the initial scrapyard location. There, they intercepted a second individual, identified as a 34-year-old African male, who was actively engaged in the sale of narcotics. This suspect also attempted to escape toward the Tokoloho area but was swiftly cornered by police near a residential dwelling. Authorities confiscated Mandrax tablets, additional Nyaope, and an undisclosed amount of cash from his possession.
SAPS Anti-Gang Unit officials confirmed that both individuals have been formally charged with possession of and dealing in illicit drugs. The suspects are slated to make their initial appearance at the Parys Magistrate’s Court in the coming days as the unit continues its targeted operations against crime hotspots in the region.
