FREE STATE — A major Zamdela drug bust has resulted in the arrest of two men after Free State police intercepted a significant haul of crystal meth, nyaope, and Mandrax. The successful raid was executed by the Welkom Anti-Gang Unit following a tip from a local resident who noticed illegal activities persisting despite a previous law enforcement intervention.
Lejweleputswa Police spokesperson Sergeant Palesa Thabana confirmed that members of Section C2 were conducting official duties in the Fezile Dabi District on Friday, 07 August 2026, around 14:00. During their patrol, officers received actionable intelligence from a concerned community member regarding a suspect who had been arrested just over a week earlier—on Thursday, 30 July 2026—yet was allegedly already back to selling narcotics.
Acting swiftly on the information, the anti-gang unit moved to a specific residence in the Angola Section. Upon securing the property, officers discovered a White male and an African male—aged 49 and 33, respectively—who were allegedly facilitating street-level drug deals by passing substances through a fence at the rear of the house.
Searches of both the premises and the individuals yielded illicit substances and cash. According to Sergeant Thabana, the 49-year-old suspect had stashed his narcotics on the roof of the home. Police confiscated 33 units of crystal methamphetamine, 31 units of rock drugs, and an undisclosed sum of money from this hidden cache.
The second suspect, a 33-year-old man, was found with contraband directly on his person. Officers seized 29 units of nyaope, one full Mandrax tablet, three half Mandrax tablets, alongside additional cash from his possession.
Both men were immediately taken into custody on charges of drug possession. They are scheduled to make their first appearance at the Sasolburg Magistrate’s Court as authorities continue their collaborative efforts with the community to dismantle localized narcotics distribution networks.
