NHLANGANO – Dagga worth E5.2 million, along with an unlicensed rifle, have been confiscated from a 40-year-old man.
The accused, Thokozani Mpandlana Tsabedze of Mehlwabovu, appeared before Senior Magistrate Joseph Dlamini at the Shiselweni Magistrates Court yesterday.
Tsabedze faces two charges. The first charge is for breaking the law by unlawfully possessing dagga, which is classified as a poison under the Pharmacy Act of 1929. The amount weighed 1 055.33 kilogrammes.
The second charge is for breaking the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1964 by unlawfully possessing a two-barrelled rifle. The rifle’s serial number was scratched off, and he had no valid permit.
During his court appearance, Tsabedze was remanded in custody until January 17, 2026, pending his trial date. The accused person did not apply for bail.
This follows that the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, Vusi Masango, ordered law enforcers across the country to intensify operations and destroy illegal dagga fields.
Masango issued a directive to officers across the country, instructing them to mount aggressive operations where he stressed that the illicit drug trade is eroding the welfare of young people and directly fuelling criminal activity.
“As long as cannabis farming remains illegal in this country, police officers have a statutory obligation to enter these fields and destroy the crops. Drugs are destroying young people and contributing to criminal activities,” said the NATCOM.
He affirmed that the cultivation and trafficking of dagga remain a serious criminal offence and will not be tolerated by law enforcement. Masango said the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) will intensify its efforts to combat drug cultivation through the systematic destruction of fields and by ensuring that perpetrators are held fully accountable under the law.
Furthermore, Masango stressed the significant risk posed to public safety, asserting that the trade of this illicit substance contributes to violent crime, including murder.
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