KWAZULU-NATAL – The Pongola Regional Court has on Monday, 22 July 2019, convicted and sentenced Maliki Erick Ngobeni (45) to 15 years imprisonment for dealing in drugs.
On 4 May 2017, the Hawks members from Richards Bay Serious Organised Crime Unit received information about a vehicle that was travelling from Golela Port of Entry towards Pongola. The local police were alerted and the said vehicle was intercepted on the N2, near Sitilo.
Members conducted a search of the vehicle and recovered a total of 145 bags of heroin powder with an estimated street value of over R100 million. Ngobeni and his two passengers were immediately placed under arrest.
Hawks’ investigation revealed that the drugs were coming from Mozambique destined to Johannesburg. It was also discovered that Ngobeni was the mastermind behind the drug trafficking. His bail was successfully opposed and he appeared in court several times before he was convicted and sentenced yesterday.