Durban - An alleged 34-year-old drug dealer who goes by the name ‘Pappa’ was arrested on Tuesday with various drugs valued at R30 000 and a firearm after the wanted vehicle he was driving was stopped by a security company.
Shaheen Suleiman, the owner of Magma Security and Investigations, said a white Polo vehicle was stopped by reaction officers after reports were received that the vehicle was involved in a shooting.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala said police arrested the man at 7.45pm on McCullum Street after the vehicle he was driving was searched.
Gwala said during the search, police recovered 10 (packets) of rock cocaine, 41 pieces of rock cocaine, 430 heroin capsules, a 9mm Baretta pistol and nine rounds of ammunition.
Suleiman said while the serial number was filed off the frame, a serial number was located on the barrel of the gun and it was positively linked to other cases.
Gwala said the other cases the suspect may be linked to included a case of burglary and theft which was opened at Alexandra Road police station after a house was broken into by an unknown suspect on July 29, 2022 on Archie Gumede Road.
A firearm, cellphone, two tablets, and an undisclosed amount of cash were taken in that matter, she said.
She said the other matter was a triple murder case in which three men, aged between 25 and 30, were stabbed at Dales Park and Neville Road in Prestbury.
“The suspect will be profiled to check if he is linked to the robbery case and the three counts of murder which were reported in Pietermaritzburg and Prestbury police stations,” said Gwala.
Police said the suspect appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court today (Wednesday) on charges of drug dealing and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.