The Asset Forfeiture Unit has been granted a high court order to preserve the vehicles of two alleged drug runners.
|||Durban - The Asset Forfeiture Unit has been granted a high court order to preserve the vehicles of two alleged drug runners.
Pietermaritzburg High Court Acting Judge Sharon Marks granted the order against Ramesh Mahabeer and Zahir Buckroodeen, who were allegedly employed by Hoosen Cassim, facing charges of dealing in drugs.
In terms of the order, the AFU will take possession of Mahabeer’s Nissan Micra and Buckroodeen’s Fiat Uno, as well as R2 200.
In court papers, head of the AFU, Knorx Molelle, confirmed that allegations against Mahabeer and Buckroodeen relate to dealing in cocaine.
Molelle said Cassim was identified as a drug user and dealer in Pietermaritzburg’s Northdale area, who delivered cocaine to customers. Cassim allegedly employed runners who own vehicles, to assist him in dealing cocaine by transporting it to clients at convenient locations.
Drug deals were then conducted and concluded in the safety of the vehicle.
Molelle said Mahabeer, Buckroodeen and a former policeman, Sagren “Sauce” Pillay, had been identified as Cassim’s runners.
During the investigation into Cassim’s alleged illegal activities, investigating officer Mahendra Balmookand, obtained authority to use an undercover police agent, Constable Bronwyn Fisher.
Fisher made contact with Cassim via cellphone and placed orders for pieces of cocaine to be delivered to her.
Between November 8 and 19 last year, Fisher contacted Cassim four times and placed various orders for pieces of cocaine ranging in price from R350 to R380, depending on the size.
On two occasions, Mahabeer allegedly delivered cocaine to Fisher in his Nissan Micra and on both occasions the drug deals were concluded in the vehicle.
On another occasion, Buckroodeen, accompanied by Pillay who was in the passenger seat, delivered cocaine to Fisher in his Fiat Uno.
Molelle said it is clear from both Fisher and Balmookand that the Nissan and Fiat were directly used to conclude drug deals clandestinely and in the safety of the vehicles.
“The vehicles were deliberately employed by Cassim, Mahabeer and Buckroodeen to transport and deliver cocaine. The delivery of the cocaine was an important aspect of the drug deal, and is instrumental in the illegal activities,” Molelle said.
Molelle explained that the R2 200 cash that was found in Mahabeer’s possession was believed to be the proceeds of dealing in cocaine.
Mahabeer admitted in his warning statement to police upon his arrest that he worked for Cassim by delivering drugs to customers and that Cassim would pay him amounts ranging from R20 to R50 for performing these duties.
Mahabeer was an unemployed pensioner, and so, Molelle said, the only inference to be drawn is that the money was the proceeds of illegal activity.
Cassim and his alleged runners are on trial in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court.
They have been charged with four counts of dealing in cocaine between November 8 and 19 last year, after a sting operation in which they allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover police agent, Fisher.
Cassim had been under surveillance for five months before the operation. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Daily News
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