Crime fighters are calling on parents to piemp merts who are selling a cough syrup drug called “Lean” to laaities - after empty medicine bottles were found on a sports field in Retreat.
The discovery was made by Ward councillor Kevin Southgate during an inspection at the Solo Street sports field after complaints that youngsters were using the City facility to smoke drugs.
“There is an ongoing challenge at the field about children jumping over the fence in the day and smoking drugs at the facility,” says Southgate.
“There have even been complaints about them threatening the security guards. A couple of weeks ago when I was checking up, I found four empty bottles of cough syrup.
“The next week there were 10 bottles, so it is a clear indication that the children are using the cough syrup and mixing it with gas cooldrinks to get high, as reported in Grassy Park.”
In October, Grassy Park police arrested a 49-year-old woman, her son, 23, and nephew, 22, after they received a tip-off that the trio were selling Lean to kids at Grassy Park High School.
During the raid, cops found 87 bottles of BronCleer syrup, several bankies of dagga, a scale and a toy gun.
Grassy Park Vispol commander, Captain Ashley Petersen, says laaities are coughing up R20 for a bottle of syrup, which contains codeine, and which they mix with other tablets to get high.
Gavin Walbragt of the Steenberg Community Police Forum (CPF) says the discovery of the empty bottles in Solo Street has sparked a police investigation.
“Crime Intelligence is looking to find the people who are supplying this to the children,” he says.
“The problem is that unlike tik or dagga, it is not illegal to have it in your possession. But the use of Lean is very dangerous. We are calling on parents to piemp the people who are selling this syrup.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Steenberg police on 021 702 9000.