R1.5m drug bust in Khayelitsha leads to arrest of 57-year-old woman
Western Cape police have seized drugs with an estimated street value of R1.5 million during an intelligence-driven operation in Khayelitsha, leading to the arrest of a 57-year-old woman on charges of dealing in drugs.
The operation was carried out by members of the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team, working alongside the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Policing Team. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the raid took place at premises in Raymond Mhlaba Crescent, Mandela Park, at approximately 3:30am on Monday, 24 August 2026.
During the search, police recovered 7,777 mandrax tablets and 1.6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. SAPS described the operation as part of broader efforts to combat drug distribution in communities across the Western Cape.
“As Western Cape police intensify efforts to rid communities of drugs, members of the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team, together with the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Policing Team, confiscated 7 777 mandrax tablets and 1.6 kilograms of crystal meth in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha,” SAPS said in a statement.
Police said the intelligence-driven operation specifically targeted a property in Raymond Mhlaba Crescent. At the premises, officers found the 57-year-old female suspect, and during the subsequent search, the drugs were allegedly discovered. The woman was arrested and charged with dealing in drugs.
She is expected to make her first appearance in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court once she has been formally charged.
The latest seizure forms part of ongoing police operations aimed at disrupting the supply of illegal drugs and removing them from circulation. The investigation is continuing.