A 49-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the theft of cocaine worth an estimated R200 million from the Hawks’ offices in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, nearly five years after the drugs were stolen.
The 541kg cocaine consignment was taken from a safe used to store exhibits at the Serious Organised Crime Offices in November 2021.
Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the suspect, identified as Lucas Legabe, was arrested in Pretoria by members of the Serious Organised Crime Unit following a lengthy investigation.
Legabe was subsequently brought to KwaZulu-Natal from Germiston and appeared in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
He is expected to apply for bail next month.
The Hawks said investigations into the theft are continuing and that officers are working to identify and apprehend all those allegedly involved.
Further arrests have not been ruled out.
Madlanga Commission probes drug theft
The disappearance of the cocaine has come under renewed scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which has been examining allegations of corruption and criminality within law enforcement.
Witnesses appearing before the commission said the Hawks’ premises had reportedly been broken into several times before the cocaine disappeared.
Concerns were also raised about security measures at the facility, including alleged problems with CCTV cameras and alarm systems.
The commission has also heard allegations that the theft may have involved an insider, raising questions about how the drugs were stored and who had access to them.
Questions have further been raised over the decision to move the cocaine to the Port Shepstone offices after it was seized during a police operation at the Durban harbour.
The latest arrest marks a significant development in the long-running investigation, although authorities have stressed that the probe remains ongoing.