Bay task team tackles drug lords

[caption id="attachment_95527" align="alignright" width="252"] Ronald Koll[/caption]

Undercover cops deployed in Central to track dealers

A SPECIALIST drug and robbery task team has been set up to tackle drug lords fuelling the criminal underworld in Nelson Mandela Bay.

This was announced by police yesterday, as part of a strategy to crack down on crime hot-spot areas.

The team, which mainly comprises detectives and crime intelligence officials, has been operational for two weeks and has already led to one arrest and the recovery of R24 000 worth of stolen items.

Police said the task team, the brainchild of Humewood police station commander Brigadier Ronald Koll, was in full swing and yielding great results.

To date, several officers have been deployed to monitor known drug posts and hot spots for robberies.

Some of the issues identified as priorities include prostitution and drug peddlers operating in night clubs and pubs within the area.

Drug rehabilitation centres and anti-drug activists have welcomed the move by police to clean up the streets.

Koll said the team aimed to tackle drugrelated crimes linked to burglaries and robberies.

“We have identified several drug dens in the central business district and surrounding areas,” he said.

“This comes largely due to community assistance and residents coming forward with information on who is buying and selling stolen property as well as stashing drugs.

“We have determined that a handful of kingpins are based around Central and are exchanging stolen items for drugs.

“There is a trend in which drug dealers recruit those hooked on drugs and give them lists of items to steal.”

“Addicts burgle or rob houses to supply the items to the dealers in exchange for drugs.

“We are now tackling the dealers, as was done years ago.

“Other crimes are also linked to dealers such as drug and sex trafficking.

“Some dealers pose as pimps to safeguard prostitutes working in the area.”

Koll said undercover police officials had been placed strategically in the area to monitor those coming and going.

“Through arrests, we have established that in most instances robbers are linked to several drug dealers in Port Elizabeth. As part of the team, we have deployed undercover officials with experience in narcotics to identify and monitor dealers and pimps.

“The task team is also making use of the municipal CCTV control room which has several cameras placed around the area to monitor and record all transactions.

-Gareth Wilson