Two men, aged 30 and 36, were arrested on charges of drug possession and contravention of immigration laws following a police roadblock in the Maokeng township near Kroonstad, in Free State.
The operation took place on Friday, 12 December 2025 when members of the South African Police Service, in collaboration with traffic officials, the Community Police Forum and the youth desk, set up a roadblock in the Marabastad section of Maokeng.
A taxi was stopped for routine checks, during which officers discovered an undocumented individual carrying a box containing packets of noodles concealing a black plastic bag with substances suspected to be Mandrax tablets.
The suspect was escorted to his residence, where a second man was present. A subsequent search of the premises yielded 16 additional tablets of suspected drugs along with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Authorities confiscated the suspected narcotics, estimated to have a street value of 20,000 rand, and the cash.
The pair are scheduled to appear in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of possession of drugs and violation of the Immigration Act.