Major drug busts in Point and Newcastle: SAPS Provincial Drug Unit arrests two suspects
Members from the SAPS Provincial Drug and Firearm Unit arrested a 23-year-old suspect in Point area for dealing in drugs and recovered a large quantity of drugs.
Image: SAPS
Members of the Provincial Drug and Firearm Unit made significant breakthroughs this month, arresting two suspects in separate operations in Point Durban and Newcastle and seizing large quantities of narcotics and cash.
According to police, the team had “been hard at work in trying to unmask an individual who was supplying drugs to various dealers.”
Their efforts culminated in a sting operation on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at a premises on Bram Fischer Street in the Point area in Durban. During the operation, officers “recovered a large quantity of drugs, including 5830 capsules of heroin powder, 4543 pieces of rock cocaine, and 178 ecstasy tablets.”
The operation comes after Durban Metro Police, along with the Hawks and Crime Intelligence, dismantled a drug distribution operation linked to the Ballito, Durban CBD, and KwaDukuza areas earlier this week and arrested one suspect.
Police recovered 5830 capsules of heroin powder.
Image: SAPS
Police stated that the recovered drugs are estimated to be valued at R570 000 and confirmed that “an amount of R157 270 cash was also recovered in the premises.”
A 23-year-old suspect was arrested and “charged with dealing in drugs.” He was scheduled to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 26 November 2025.
In an earlier operation conducted in Newcastle this month the Provincial Drugs and Firearm Team arrested 38-year-old John Onamu, also for drug dealing. Officers reported that they “pounced on the premises on Starling Street in Newcastle, where they recovered an assortment of narcotics such as rock cocaine, crystal meth, and mandrax.”
The drugs had an estimated value of R200 000, and authorities also found “an amount of R17 800 in cash.
Onamu was “charged with dealing in drugs” and made his first court appearance the following day at the Newcastle Magistrate's Court, where he “was released on bail.”
At the time of his arrest, police revealed that “the suspect was out on bail for two other drug-related offences.”