Drug Transport Vehicle Forfeited to State

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A Volkswagen Jetta valued at R280 000 has officially been forfeited to the State after it was found to have been used in the commission of a serious drug-related crime.

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The vehicle was seized in January 2023 after members of the Hectorspruit K9 Unit discovered 58 packets of a substance suspected to be crystal meth, with an estimated street value of R8.7 million. The drugs were hidden in a concealed compartment beneath the vehicle’s base shortly after it passed through the Nkomazi Toll Plaza in Kaapmuiden on its way to Nelspruit.

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Two suspects, both Mozambican nationals, were arrested at the scene following the discovery. The suspected drugs and the vehicle were confiscated pending further investigation.

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The matter was subsequently handed over to the Hawks’ Priority Crime Specialised Investigation Asset Forfeiture team. Working in collaboration with the Asset Forfeiture Unit, investigators pursued an asset-forfeiture process which culminated in a court ruling.

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On Monday, 3 November 2025, the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela granted a forfeiture order, formally transferring ownership of the vehicle to the State.

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