Seven suspected antiretroviral (ARV) drug smuggling syndicate members are set to appear in the Kroonstad Magistrates’ Court today – 3 October. The suspects, aged between 34 and 39 years, face charges of possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, and contravening the Medicine Act.
The matter is the culmination of probing by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team after a breakthrough by the Welkom-based police Tactical Response Team (TRT) in October 2020. The investigation pertains the possibility of a syndicate operating in the provincial Department of Health, that steals and sells this lifesaving medication.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said police members of the TRT received intelligence-driven information about some of the suspects who were en route to sell ARV tablets in Kroonstad on 17 October 2020.
“The suspects who were in the vehicle told the police that the two containers belong to the owner who was at a guest house in Kroonstad. Then the members went to Kroonstad to the guest house where they discovered 1 272 ARV tablets upon searching the rooms of the suspects. The value of ARVs is estimated to be R480 000.
A big bust relating to an ARV smuggling syndicate was made in Bloemfontein in 2020 when Bloemfontein police arrested two men, Sello Molebatsi from K Section in Botshabelo and Kabelo Tedule from Lady Grey. The police discovered 1 068 bottles of ARV tablets, estimated to be worth over R1 million. According to the police investigation, Tedule worked for the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape. The case has been not been finalised since making appearances in court.
