Trafficking
27 June 2007
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has come
and gone. As the world takes note of this significant global calendar event,
precious lives have and are being lost due to ignorance in some quarters. The
South African Police Services (SAPS) organised crime component considers each
day as a challenge, to rid South Africa of illegal drugs and to effortlessly
contribute towards the global fight against this scourge. Drug abuse clearly
manifests itself into the most insidious of all societal evils, crime and
criminality. Governments worldwide are feeling the pinch due to high costs
associated with medical care, rehabilitation and general awareness
programmes.
The SAPS organised crime component has identified our ports of entry (air,
land and sea) as places used by drug syndicates to move these addictive,
illegal and life destroying substances into the country. Nevertheless, our
extensive informer and intelligence networks have made it possible for us to
infiltrate organised criminal networks, involved in the drug trade and in the
process, achieve significant seizures and arrests. We have in the past year
discovered 46 clandestine narcotics manufacturing laboratories. Hundreds in
kilograms of narcotics and chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs worth
millions of rand have also been confiscated. Workable result oriented
strategies have been formulated and are being implemented. Among others, is the
Cannabis Eradication Programme (CEP), used to good effect in the KwaZulu-Natal
province recently. Large plantations of cannabis were destroyed after being
identified by our specialised units.
An analysis of threats from organised crime groups over the past decade
identified drug threats as accounting for the largest proportion of the known
threats. Drug smuggling as an organised crime usually ties with other
dimensions of organised crime such as diamonds, gold, abalone and vehicle
hijacking. Dependency on drugs can become expensive to an extent that drug
users have to commit crime to feed their habits (for example, all kinds of
theft including motor vehicle theft and armed robbery). Furthermore, some drugs
may stimulate violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape and all
kinds of assault. Drugs such as cannabis, mandrax, cocaine, heroine, CAT and
Tik, pose major threats in South Africa.
The chemical monitoring programme, responsible for monitoring precursor
chemicals to prevent the diversion of chemicals for the manufacture of illicit
drugs, dealt with 226 import notifications of precursor chemicals to South
Africa. A further 735 export notifications of precursor chemicals were
forwarded to the relevant foreign authorities.
The youth have been identified as lucrative target markets by these
syndicates. Our appeal to all parents is clearly and without fail, to monitor
their children's behaviour. Of course adults are also vulnerable. Signs to
monitor include mood swings, weight and appetite loss, aggression and loss of
concentration.
Unnecessary loss of life is a reality if one pleads ignorance.
Contact:
Captain Percy Morokane
National spokesperson
Tel: 012 393 5522
Fax: 012 393 5525/27
Cell: 082 778 5602
E-mail: mediarelations@saps.org.za
Issued by: South African Police Service (SAPS)
27 June 2007
