More than four years after R200 million worth of drugs vanished from the Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime offices in 2021, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, states that the circumstances surrounding the disappearance remain uncertain and are still under investigation.

At the time, the Hawks announced the launch of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this unexpected break-in, which set tongues wagging over the R200 million cocaine theft.

However,  the VP Justice Foundation, through its founder, Visham Panday has questioned whether anyone has been held accountable for the theft. 

With the ongoing spotlight on police inflitration by alleged drug kingpins, Panday has placed the blame squarely on Major General Lesetja Senona, the head of the province’s Hawks. 

“How come General Senona was not suspended when the drugs disappeared from his watch. He is still being paid a salary, when more than 200 million worth of drugs were allegedly stolen. Now that the NPA has launched the investigation, heads are rolling. That surprises us as the VP Justice Foundation, we want to know why Senona and his team are not arrested. We know about the investigation, but the question is, what are they doing about it?” he said.

In 2021, responding to the break-in, Hawks spokesperson, Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo, in a statement, said the incident was suspected to have occurred between 4 pm and 7 am, after which a case of business burglary having been registered for further investigation.

 “The suspects gained entry into the building by forcing open the windows. One of the safes in the office, which was used to store exhibits, was tampered with. The suspects stole 541kg of cocaine drugs to the street value of R200 000 000 and ransacked the office where safes were kept,” she said.

This week, Mbambo said the Hawks are investigating the matter stating:”Investigation into the theft of drugs at the DPCI Port Shepstone still continues and details thereof cannot be made available to the public so as to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

In an email to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Gosai and Incoporated said it is aware of the NPA investigation involving Major General Senona related to the R200 million drug theft.

“Our clinet calls for the immediate suspension of General Senona and other implicated persons, pending the finalisation of the investigation and decision, and instructs that he is the person in the possession of  the evidence whichhwhich could be of assistence and is prepared to meet with the NPA to handover.”

However, the NPA was never able to confirm the alleged investigation into the matter following attemps to get comment from the NPA with Generl Senona also not available to respond to the allegations.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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