THREE brothers who were arrested for dealing in drugs during an undercover police operation, in Phoenix, last Monday, have been released on bail.
Jaganathan Naicker, Sachin Naicker, Sathasivan Naicker and their alleged runner Siyabonga Lucky appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, on charges of dealing and possession of drugs.
According to a police source, the accused operated next to a primary school and had been under surveillance for months.
It is alleged that the accused had sold crack cocaine, a crack cocaine pipe and mandrax tablets to an undercover police trap agent six times on separate occasions between June and August.
The source said during their arrests police seized crack cocaine pieces, mandrax tablets, two Glock 19 firearms, five magazines, 58 live 9mm rounds, four cellphones and R10 700 cash.
According to the State, Monday’s arrest was following a buy or bust operation by Durban Metro Trio Team, Counter Narcotics CI KZN and Provincial Organised Crime.
“Drugs were bought from the accused by a trap agent on different dates. On the day (last Monday) police went to the house to do a buy and bust but there were no transactions made. Police then arrested the accused for the previous purchases,” said the State.
The State added that six purchases of more than R10 000 were made between June, July and August.
The State did not oppose their application for bail because they did not find that the accused were a flight risk or would intimidate witnesses. However, it did ask that bail be fixed at R10 000 each.
The accused was represented by attorney Chris Gounden.
He told the court consider the accuseds’ personal circumstances.
Gounden said the brothers worked in the e-hailing industry while Ntuli worked as a landscaper earning only R120 a day. He said the accused could only afford R500 bail and the siblings’ mother was willing to pay the bail for Ntuli.
Gounden told the court that police had a weak case against the accused.
“When police arrived at the home they were confused about who they were looking for.
“They called accused one (Jaganathan) who was at the Phoenix Plaza to come to the home. Police seemed confused and decided to arrest all three brothers including the landscaper.”
He said the accused did not have any previous convictions or pending cases.
Magistrate Loshini Badal said when considering bail she had to consider that there was no indication that the accused were a flight risk or would interfere with witnesses. The accused were released on bail of R2 000 each and the matter was adjourned to November for further investigations.
The POST