Mpumalanga police arrested a 49-year-old Lesotho national during Operation Shanela after finding dagga in his bakkie on the N4 near Witbank.[1] Members of the Middelburg flying squad unit stopped the white Toyota Hilux double cab on the N4 Road between the Middelburg toll gate and the Nelson Mandela Drive off-ramp near Witbank on Thursday.[1] A search of the vehicle found 13 bags of dagga weighing about 259 kilograms, which police valued at about R260,000 on the street.[1] The driver, the vehicle’s only occupant, was arrested and charged with possession of dagga and dealing in dagga.[1] He was expected to appear before the eMalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Monday.[1] The arrest was made on Thursday 14 November 2024, and the man was due in the eMalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Monday 18 November.[2]

Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli gave the account of the stop and search.[1] Acting provincial commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi commended the Middelburg flying squad members for their vigilance and dedication.[1] A second account of the police statement says the officers spotted the bakkie during a patrol and that its rear left tyre seemed to be flat.[3] It records the same 13 bags, about 259 kg and a street value of roughly R260,000, and the same charge of possession of and dealing in dagga.[3]