A high-stakes drug smuggling operation that began in the shores of Still Bay led to the arrest of two Hermanus locals who are set to reappear in court on 28 August.

Renaldo Beukes (35) and Dicky Johan Benzien (50) are set to reappear in the Western Cape High Court in late August following their alleged involvement in murder and drug-related charges alongside five co-accused.

The drug charges are regarding a large consignment of drugs worth an estimated R252 million.

A drug dealer, Alan Bushby, was recently sentenced to ten years direct imprionsment (15 total) for dealing in drugs that he helped bring into the country from international waters off Still Bay.

He entered a plea deal with the State to testify against his co-accused which include Beukes and Benzien. Other co-accused include Matthew Fourie (23) from Durban, Jordan Cullingworth (29) from Fourways, Josip Ivanovic (39) from Sandton, Serbian nationals Nemanja Vuckovic (31) from Amazimtoti and Marco Ninc (41).

Bushby – who is from Midrand – was convicted for dealing in 400,84kg of cocaine. Five of his 15-year sentence were suspended on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence.

In terms of the plea agreement, Bushby stated that he was approached by Matthew Smith in July 2024 who asked him if he was interested in making quick money.

Smith told him that Bushby would help him recover cocaine from the sea. Although he did not know how much he would be paid, Bushby agreed and went through with it under the impression that the payment would be sufficient.

He was informed that a passing ship would drop a shipment of cocaine into the international waters off Still Bay where he would need to assist in retrieving the parcels and bringing them safely ashore.

Bushby was told that the cocaine shipment weighed approximately 100 kilogrammes.

Vuckovic, Ninc and Ivanovic are also charged with contravening Section 49(1), read with Sections 1 and 48, of the Immigration Act of 13 of 2002 for allegedly being in the country illegally.