Drug Transport Vehicle Forfeited to State

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.

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.

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

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.

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.