The Roadside Stop That Unpacked a R1.2 Million Consignment

A routine crime-prevention patrol on the busy N2 highway near Mahamba in Mpumalanga turned into a major drug bust on Thursday night. Police officers stopped and searched a truck, leading to the arrest of two Zimbabwean nationals and the discovery of a dagga consignment with an estimated street value of R1.2 million.

The suspects, Tinashe Chitsamba (40) and Oscar Mutsetemari (45), appeared in the Mkhondo Magistrate’s Court on Friday. According to police, their vehicle was pulled over at approximately 20:35. A search revealed six large bags of compressed dagga in the back, weighing a total of about 200 kilograms.

The Route from KZN to Zimbabwe

The men allegedly told investigators they had travelled from Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal and were transporting the dagga to Zimbabwe. This interception underscores the N2’s role as a key corridor for transnational drug trafficking, with consignments often moving from cultivation areas to neighbouring countries.

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane hailed the bust as evidence of their ongoing campaign against drug networks. “The alertness of our members during routine patrols continues to make a dent in the illegal drug trade,” Ndubane stated. “This arrest demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that drug traffickers do not use our roads with impunity.”

Charges and Custody

Both men face charges of dealing in dagga and contravening the Immigration Act. The truck was seized for further investigation. The court remanded Chitsamba and Mutsetemari in custody, and they are scheduled to return to court on 28 January 2026.

This bust follows a similar significant seizure in Limpopo in August, where police recovered dagga worth R580,000 and confiscated four high-value vehiclesincluding a Toyota Land Cruiser and Fortunerused in the operation, highlighting the sophisticated and lucrative nature of these cross-border drug networks.

For now, a major shipment has been halted, and two alleged traffickers are off the road, awaiting their next day in court.

{Source: IOL}

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