Swazi police seize 3.9 tons of cannabis in a single 2001 raid
Swazi police seized 3.9 tons of compressed cannabis in a single raid in 2001, a haul police believed was bound for the United Kingdom. Contemporary estimates put its British street value in the tens of millions.
In 2001, police in Swaziland seized3.9 tons of compressed cannabis in a single raid.[1][2]Police believed the consignment was destined for export to the United Kingdom.[1][2]
The Institute for Security Studies put the cargo’s British street value at about 15.6 million pounds, while IRIN later reported it as over 20 million US dollars.[1][2]The best-quality Swazi harvest was typically compressed into one- or two-kilogram blocks and smuggled via South Africa to Europe and the UK.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
No month or day was published for the raid, so 31 December is used as the incident date.
The place of the raid and the number of people arrested, if any, were not published.
The Institute for Security Studies gives the British street value as 15.6 million pounds while IRIN later reported over 20 million US dollars; no value figure is recorded.
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Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force troops seized 16.8kg of dagga worth E16,800 in three border interceptions between 5 and 14 August 2026 at Nsubane and Hluthi. Two men were arrested in the vehicle interception and all suspects, vehicles and consignments were handed to law enforcement for investigation.
UEDF troops at a Mashayineni checkpoint seized 510.3 kg of dagga worth E510,300 in June 2026 operations: 107.1 kg in a Nissan Murano on 23 June with two men arrested, 403.2 kg in a Toyota Hilux an hour later with its driver arrested, while four Zimbabweans were stopped crossing illegally at Sivule on 25 June.
A 29-year-old man from KaMkhweli, under Chief Mshengu, was charged before Siteki Magistrate Machawe Bhembe with being found in possession of dagga plants weighing 46.463kg. He had been arrested the previous Friday, and the published account stops after the opening of his case.