Zimbabwean nationals remanded in custody to January after R1.2 million dagga bust
Two Zimbabwean nationals have appeared in the Mkhondo Magistrate’s Court after they were allegedly caught transporting compressed dagga worth an estimated R1.2 million on the N2 near Mahamba in Mpumalanga.
Tinashe Chitsamba, 40, and Oscar Mutsetemari, 45, were arrested on Thursday night after police conducting routine crime-prevention patrols stopped and searched a truck at about 20:35.
According to the Mpumalanga police, officers found six large bags of compressed dagga in the back of the vehicle.
The men in the truck told police they had travelled from Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal and were transporting the dagga to Zimbabwe. They allegedly claimed to have loaded the consignment at in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The alertness of our members during routine patrols continues to make a dent in the illegal drug trade. This arrest demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that drug traffickers do not use our roads with impunity,” said provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane.
Police said the dagga weighed about 200 kilogrammes. The truck was seized for further investigation, and both men were charged with dealing in dagga and being in the country illegally.
Chitsamba and Mutsetemari were remanded in custody and are expected back in court on 28 January 2026.
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the dagga worth R580,000 was found at Ga-Magongwa Village.
“It is reported that the police received leads about three vehicles transporting dagga, and the operation was activated. Three vehicles were spotted driving at high speed along the N11 road. The vehicles were tracked until they entered an unoccupied home building at Ga-Magongwa Village,” said Ledwaba.
Immediately, a fourth vehicle also arrived on the scene. When the suspects noticed a police-marked vehicle, they fled the scene on foot to evade arrest.
“Upon inspecting the premises and the yard, four vehicles were discovered, and three of them were loaded with 29 bags of dagga weighing approximately 40 to 50 kilogrammes; a white Toyota Hilux worth R700 000.00; a dark grey Toyota Fortuner worth R600,000; a gold Toyota Land Cruiser worth R1,200,000, and a white Hyundai ix35 worth R300,000,” said Ledwaba.
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