Gunship
10th Jan 2003, 06:43
News 24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,1113,2-7-1442_1305532,00.html)
Cape Town - Police on Thursday arrested 20 people and confiscated more than R250 000 worth of drugs and cash when members of the special task force and the unit against organised crime busted one of the most-infamous drug-smuggling houses in Cape Town.
Task-force members caught alleged drug smugglers off guard when they simultaneously stormed the front door of the so-called "Red House" in Albert Street, Woodstock, and landed on the roof with a helicopter.
Captain Jacques Wiese for police said it was a necessary tactic because the house was specially fortified against a police raid.
Special closed-circuit television cameras were fitted outside the house and a bank of monitors inside the house allowed the occupants to see whoever was around the house without having to go to the door.
Behind the red front door of the Albert Street, a maze of corridors link rooms that are all fitted with steel doors.
Wiese said: "It is like a fort. Special steel doors are fitted around very corner and they thought they were untouchable."
Special room for drug-taking
Police arrested two men as they came into the entrance hall. It is alleged drugs like mandrax, dagga and cocaine were sold there and the floor was littered with dagga butts.
Wiese also showed the media a special room where clients apparently could consume their merchandise in peace.
Wiese said police had been keeping an eye on the drug industry in Woodstock for some time now.
Asking for property to be seized
"A long clandestine operation preceded the operation. We regularly made so-called test buys during which policemen posed as clients.
"Then we issued a written warning to the owner of the house, warning him to stop the illegal activities. He ignored the warning and we decided to bust the house."
Apart from the dagga zols, 400 crack crystals - a form of cocaine - with a street value of about R30 000 were also found on the premises.
"We will ask the High Court to order the assets forfeiture unit to seize the property," said Wiese.
The suspects are expected to appear in Cape Town magistrate's court on Monday.
Cape Town - Police on Thursday arrested 20 people and confiscated more than R250 000 worth of drugs and cash when members of the special task force and the unit against organised crime busted one of the most-infamous drug-smuggling houses in Cape Town.
Task-force members caught alleged drug smugglers off guard when they simultaneously stormed the front door of the so-called "Red House" in Albert Street, Woodstock, and landed on the roof with a helicopter.
Captain Jacques Wiese for police said it was a necessary tactic because the house was specially fortified against a police raid.
Special closed-circuit television cameras were fitted outside the house and a bank of monitors inside the house allowed the occupants to see whoever was around the house without having to go to the door.
Behind the red front door of the Albert Street, a maze of corridors link rooms that are all fitted with steel doors.
Wiese said: "It is like a fort. Special steel doors are fitted around very corner and they thought they were untouchable."
Special room for drug-taking
Police arrested two men as they came into the entrance hall. It is alleged drugs like mandrax, dagga and cocaine were sold there and the floor was littered with dagga butts.
Wiese also showed the media a special room where clients apparently could consume their merchandise in peace.
Wiese said police had been keeping an eye on the drug industry in Woodstock for some time now.
Asking for property to be seized
"A long clandestine operation preceded the operation. We regularly made so-called test buys during which policemen posed as clients.
"Then we issued a written warning to the owner of the house, warning him to stop the illegal activities. He ignored the warning and we decided to bust the house."
Apart from the dagga zols, 400 crack crystals - a form of cocaine - with a street value of about R30 000 were also found on the premises.
"We will ask the High Court to order the assets forfeiture unit to seize the property," said Wiese.
The suspects are expected to appear in Cape Town magistrate's court on Monday.