Durban — A drug dealer that was once arrested for drug possession was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition and two years for drug possession.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Captain Bonnie Nxumalo said that Sandile Ernest Ngwazi, 32, was convicted and sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, by the Port Shepstone Regional Court.
Nxumalo said that Ngwazi was arrested in Mathulini village in October 2021 by the Port Shepstone-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation in alliance with K9 and Public Order Police.
She said that during his arrest, Ngwazi was found in possession of a firearm with ammunition and mandrax tablets. He was charged and the Hawks’ investigation revealed that in February 2018, Ngwazi was arrested for possession of drugs where he was found with heroin capsules and mandrax tablets. That case was withdrawn but the investigation officer proved that Ngwazi is an operating drug dealer.
“He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. He was further sentenced to two years for both cases of possession of drugs. Sentences will run concurrently,” Nxumalo said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, an alleged drug dealer, 30, was arrested by Hawks members from Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Durban Metro Police and Crime Intelligence at Powerline Street in Chatsworth.
Hawks KZN spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said the suspect was found in possession of crack cocaine and heroin capsules with a street value of approximately R21 800. Police also seized R880 cash suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
He was charged with dealing drugs.
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