A SUSPECTED drug dealer was arrested at the Meerensee taxi rank in possession of a parcel of cannabis.
Joshua Pretorius of Northern Region Protection Service (NRPS), assisted by the Meerensee Community Policing Forum and Chubb Security, executed a civilian arrest on Sunday.
SAPS was on the scene shortly after the arrest to take the suspect into custody.
Cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed, is mistakenly regarded as harmless by the scores of teenagers buying from dealers in the area.
From interviews and information received from a variety of sources and eyewitnesses, the Zululand Observer established that younger and younger users are frequenting the hot spots.
Some are reportedly even wearing school uniforms.
‘Dagga is just the beginning of a much bigger problem,’ said a policeman.
‘They start smoking dagga and soon the high is not so high anymore. Then they move to the serious stuff to get the same effect.’
It is a well known modus operandi of dealers to keep the quantity in their possession low, while stashing the bulk away from where the deal transpires.
It can then be argued in court that it was for own use.
The weight of the dagga is recorded on the charge sheet and negligible weights result in withdrawal of cases or the setting of small fines.
