A major drug bust at a “hijacked” Houghton property is only one piece of a sprawling criminal syndicate operating across Johannesburg and targeting abandoned or unoccupied homes in wealthy suburbs.
This is according to Alex Mandlakazi, media liaison officer for the city’s public safety MMC, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, who told Sowetan that the R2m raid in Houghton on Saturday forms part of a wider, decentralised drug network using hijacked properties as storage, processing and distribution hubs.
“Just last month, there was a dagga bust worth R1m in Linbro Park. Before that, cocaine worth almost R20m was found in an isolated property in Midrand,” Mandlakazi said.
“The majority of these operations are identified in Houghton, but the syndicate is decentralised. We also have areas in Hillbrow and other isolated estates.”
He said criminals specifically target old homes whose owners have left the country or died.
“There is an ongoing syndicate that identifies such houses, hijacks them, installs their own tenants, and generates income monthly while also storing these unwanted goods. In almost all the properties where we discover contraband, these are isolated properties,” he said.
There is an ongoing syndicate that identifies such houses, hijacks them, installs their own tenants, and generates income monthly while also storing these unwanted goods.
— Alex Mandlakazi
Mandlakazi said the city has an intelligence team monitoring suspected houses continuously.
The latest raid was carried out by Johannesburg metro police during an intelligence-driven operation, where officers uncovered a drug packaging and distribution centre inside a residential Houghton property.
They found processed dagga valued at about R2m, a significant amount of Schedule 5 codeine cough syrup, which is not sold over the counter, as well as packaging material allegedly used to prepare consignments.
It is alleged that drugs were packed and ready to be transported to Bulawayo, using Zimbabwean cross-border transporters known as omalayisha.
At least eight people were arrested.
“Some were tenants, others were omalayisha,” Mandlakazi said about people found at the property. “Everyone found in the house was arrested. Investigations are yet to establish each person’s role.”
Tshwaku praised the officers for the successful operation.
“This operation underscores our steadfast commitment to dismantling criminal syndicates exploiting hijacked properties for drug trafficking. Lawlessness in any form will not be tolerated in the City of Johannesburg,” he said.
Tshwaku confirmed that additional raids are planned as investigations continue.
The city has urged the public to report suspicious activity or hijacked properties to JMPD on 011-758-9650.
Sowetan
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