Kroonstad – A truck driver and his passenger were arrested on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, after being caught transporting a massive haul of khat along the N1.
Members of Operation Vala Umgodi acted on intelligence about a truck smuggling drugs from Gauteng to the Western Cape. The white Isuzu horse-and-trailer was intercepted outside Kroonstad, where officers conducted a thorough search.
Inside the truck, police discovered 26 sealed boxes hidden in different compartments. Upon inspection, the boxes contained 4,590 packaged khat plants—also known as Bushman’s tea. The drugs weighed 92.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of R275,400.
Read | Truck owner busts his driver transporting cigarettes and khat worth R2m
The driver (42) and his passenger (49) were arrested for dealing in drugs and are expected to appear in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court soon.
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