Cape Town Drug Bust: Bail Battle Intensifies Over R18 Million Cocaine and Military-Grade Guns

Courtroom tension rises as banker and co-accused linked to drugs, AK-103 and Uzi Pro rifles

In one of Cape Town’s most alarming drug busts this year, two men, one a suspended bank manager are at the centre of a storm involving over R18 million worth of cocaine and a stash of military-grade firearms. And the State isn’t letting them walk free without a fight.

On Friday, the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court heard emotionally charged arguments as Raed Cupido (37) and Christopher Brice Carelse (36) applied for bail. The State strongly opposed their release, warning that the pair may be connected to a deeper, more dangerous criminal network.

Prayer beads and AKs: A case full of contradictions

Cupido, notably gripping prayer beads throughout the court session, was arrested on 10 June 2025 after members of the Anti-Gang Unit swooped on a Roeland Street storage unit. What they found was no minor stash: 15 bricks of cocaine, valued at R18 million, alongside an AK-103, an Uzi Pro, five unlicensed pistols, and over 130 rounds of ammunition.

Investigators say surveillance footage shows Cupido accessing the unit on multiple occasions, including one time in early May when he was seen with a box resembling the seized drug packaging.

While Carelse was not filmed entering, the unit was registered in his name. Interestingly, his access card hadn’t been used since 2022. This discrepancy is now central to the investigation.

No password, no problem? Cupido fights back

Cupido insists he’s being unfairly targeted. In his affidavit, he lashed out at the lead investigator, Warrant Officer Christiaan van Renen, accusing him of trying to use Cupido’s bail status to pressure him into revealing his cellphone password.

He argued that police could already access digital evidence through the Cybercrimes Act, and shouldn’t use his detention as leverage.

He also poked holes in the State’s case: no confirmed forensic report on the cocaine, no proof he touched the firearms, and no prior convictions.

“The purpose of bail is not to punish me before trial,” said Cupido, who added he had surrendered his passport and offered up his family home as security.

Carelse: ‘If I wanted to run, I would’ve’

Carelse struck a calm but defiant tone. He says he was arrested without resistance at his Kensington home and never even knew what was inside the storage unit.

He rejected the idea that he’d try to flee, noting that he had ample opportunity to run—but didn’t.

“The police have my phone. If there’s anything to find, they can go through legal channels,” he told the court.

High-stakes charges and gangland echoes

Both men face serious charges under Schedule 5 of the Criminal Procedure Act, including:

• Dealing in drugs

• Possession of prohibited firearms

• Possession of unlicensed ammunition

Three of the firearms were traced back to a 2019 robbery in Boksburg, Gauteng, adding a national dimension to the case. The AK-103 and Uzi Pro are completely unregistered, hinting at links to organised arms smuggling or gang syndicates.

For locals, the bust echoes the growing anxiety over how deep gang networks and illicit arms trades have spread in the Western Cape.

Cape Town reacts: ‘It’s like a scene from Narcos’

On X (formerly Twitter), South Africans were quick to weigh in.

“AK-103s? In a Cape Town storage unit? We’re living in a Netflix series,” one user posted.

Others raised concerns about how such weaponry, typically reserved for conflict zones, ended up in the hands of civilians.

Still, some are sceptical of the police’s handling. One user wrote, “If the evidence is strong, why the need to squeeze a cellphone password? Do your job properly.”

The next chapter: August 1 decision day

The court will rule on the bail application on August 1, 2025. Until then, both men remain in custody, as Cape Town’s legal community watches closely.

The case has stirred renewed debate around South Africa’s bail laws, digital privacy rights, and the spread of militarised crime into everyday neighbourhoods.

Whether this case turns out to be an isolated rogue operation or the tip of a much darker iceberg remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Cape Town isn’t just fighting gangs in the streets, it’s fighting them in the courtrooms too.

{Source: IOL}

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