The Western Cape government is winning the war against drugs, Premier Ebrahim Rasool said on Monday.
”Considering that this financial year is only halfway through, police have already arrested 374 high flyers … confiscated 37 558 grams of Mandrax, 6 499 grams of methamphetamine [tik] and 4 447 grams of heroin,” he said.
Rasool, who was briefing the media in Cape Town on the provincial government’s half-yearly delivery report card, said police have shut down some of the main drug-supply points.
”Police have also successfully broken down and closed four tik factories which were running in Sea Point,” he said, adding that more than 500 drug dealers were arrested in the past six months.
He attributed the breakthrough to the government’s decision to deploy its most talented and senior police officers on the ground. ”Nineteen senior police officers from the level of director to senior superintendent have been deployed to lead the war against drugs in the 21 priority areas.”
Many of the police stations in drug hot spots such as Mitchells Plain and Kraaifontein are headed by police directors.
Already, 29 local drug action committees are operational in 14 prioritised areas and an additional 24 are currently being established, Rasool said.
Part of the province’s fight against crime includes the roll-out of outpatient detoxification services. ”The training of health officials is taking place to ensure that staff are competent to deal with detoxification and general substance-related issues,” he said. — Sapa