Standard Bank manager linked to international drug cartel

THE 115 bricks of cocaine worth an estimated street value of R18 million allegedly found in possession of a suspended Standard Bank manager were linked to multiple international cartels.

This emerged when Lieutenant-Colonel Christiaan van Renen, the investigating officer, testified in the ongoing bail application by Raed Cupido. 

The 40-year-old was arrested on 10 June over the 115 bricks of cocaine worth an estimated street value of R18m, an AK 103 Rifle, Uzi Pro Rifle, five semi-automatic firearms and 130 rounds of ammunition inside a storage unit in Roeland Street.

His alleged accomplice, Christopher Carlese, 38, was arrested just over a month later, on 13 July. He claims he wasn’t at the scene that day but at his home in Kensington.

During their recent application in the Cape Town Magistrates Court to apply for bail, the court heard that police officers have video footage, firearm links, and forensic evidence tying both to the drugs.

According to court documents, Cupido immediately admitted to cops that the white powder was cocaine when they pulled up to the storage unit.

Van Renen said forensic results confirmed the drugs were linked to multiple international cartels.

He said Cupido and his co-accused were “first receivers” for international drug cartels.

“I submit that the only reasonable inference that can be drawn from these facts is that (Cupido and Carelse) are so-called 'first-receivers' of the cocaine as it is smuggled into South Africa by international drug cartels.

“It was found that three of the firearms recovered were stolen during a business robbery in Boksburg in 2019. During the same robbery, 69 other firearms were also taken.  

“The other four firearms are not registered on the firearm system of South Africa.”

The court heard that Cupido rented unit 869 while Carlese rented unit 868, which are located next to each other.

The court further heard that video footage was obtained of the storage unit from 22 April to 10 June, which showed Cupido exiting the lift on the ground floor and walking towards a white Polo on 9 May.

Van Renen says: “The final photograph depicts certain items found by the police inside storage unit 868 as it was laid out on the ground in front of the unit. 

“The box is open and a white object is partially visible inside. To the left, next to the brown cardboard box, are two stacks of compressed cocaine bricks.

“The partially visible, white-coloured item inside the brown box has been identified as cocaine bricks that were found inside the brown cardboard box.    

“I submit that the shape and dimensions of the box carried by [Cupido] when compared with the box found in [Carelse’s unit] containing cocaine, are a match, according to my observations.”   

The court heard that when Cupido was arrested he was in possession of two iPhones and an Apple Watch which he refused to hand over, however a cyber warrant to gain access to data is underway.

Cupido had cited the overcrowding in Pollsmoor as among the reasons he should be released on bail as these conditions posed a risk to his health.

He has dismissed claims linking him to the drugs, saying he is a family man, soccer coach and businessman who’s being framed in a R18 million cocaine bust case.

The court previously heard that Cupido was pressured by an officer and former employee of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson into admitting that the drugs were theirs in exchange for his freedom. 

The father of two who earns approximately R78 000-a-month, previously worked at British American Tobacco Group, Woolworths and Phillip Morris Group where he was employed as a commercial planning and development manager and flew across the world in this job. 

He also owns RADC Transport, a fleet company with 17 vehicles that earns R160 000 per month. He also owns properties in Rondebosch, Claremont and Green Point valued at over R20 million.

The case was postponed to 1 August for arguments.

Cape Times