A 32-year-old man was arrested in Dundee on Tuesday night, 5 August 2025, following a high-speed pursuit with law enforcement, after he allegedly attempted to smuggle approximately R4 million worth of illegal cannabis into South Africa.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), KwaZulu-Natal law enforcement officials had received intelligence that a vehicle was crossing the border from Eswatini via Paulpietersburg, transporting a consignment of illegal cannabis.
“Proactive police officers from Glencoe K9 Unit, Zululand District Task Team, as well as Dundee Crime Prevention members operationalised the information, and the vehicle matching the description was spotted on R33 Road driving towards Blood River,” said the SAPS in a statement on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.
When officers attempted to intercept the vehicle, the driver accelerated in an effort to evade arrest. This prompted a high-speed chase, which ultimately culminated in the suspect being stopped by police within the Dundee area.
“Upon searching the vehicle, police found compressed bags of cannabis on the passenger seat, the back seat, as well as in the boot. A total of 90 bags full of cannabis, with an estimated street value of R4 million, were seized.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and charged with dealing in cannabis,” confirmed the SAPS, further stating that the accused is expected to appear before the Dundee Magistrates’ Court in connection with the incident.
As the suspect prepares to face the full weight of the law, it is important to clarify that, while the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act 7 of 2024 —signed into law on 28 May 2024—permits the private use, possession, and cultivation of cannabis by adults in South Africa, it strictly prohibits dealing in cannabis. This includes any form of sale, distribution, or commercial supply.
Both the SAPS and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) have reiterated that “dealing in cannabis remains a serious criminal offence in terms of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act (No. 140 of 1992),” which broadly defines dealing as encompassing the transshipment, importation, collection, manufacture, supply, sale, transmission, or exportation of cannabis—unless it involves cultivation by an adult for personal use in a private place.
In contrast, authorised dispensaries, operating under SAHPRA’s oversight, offer a legal route to access cannabis-based medicines, ensuring safety, quality control, and full compliance with health regulations.
Nevertheless, with the suspect now in police custody, what are your thoughts on this?
Be sure to read, Newcastle’s Long-Awaited UNISA Campus Still Incomplete as 2025 Deadlines Slip, if you missed it.
3 Responses
Wow that is a lot of weed
How did he manage to cross the border post with all that in the car?
The real question is, can I volunteer to help burn the evidence…please. I will bring snacks