Grassy Park cops have warned parents to be aware of an increase in laaities using prescription drugs to get high after an alleged mert was arrested with a stash of Xanax pille over the weekend.
Station commander Colonel Dawood Laing says the 33-year-old man, who cops suspects merts for the Six Bobs gang, was caught in the Riemvasmaak informal settlement on Friday with a backpack filled with drugs and cash.
“We embarked on drug ops and received information about an alleged dealer walking around with a backpack full of drugs walking around and selling.
“We parked our vehicles and walked through the settlement on foot when we saw him just before 11pm and he started running.
“He threw the bag over a fence, but we recovered the bag and caught him.”
Inside the bag cops found 191 packets of tik, 18 full mandrax pille, five half mandrax tablets and 91 Xanax tablets.
The stash worth over R8000 was confiscated along with nearly R3000 in cash.
“The suspect, Mario Shadwick, was arrested for drug dealing and made his first appearance at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday and we are waiting for the docket back to see if he has been released.”
He warns that the abuse of Xanax, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety disorders, is increasing because the pills are sold for just R20.
“There is a definite increase and parents need to be aware what children are doing.
“It is sold for just R20 and when someone is found with one pill, it’s not illegal.
“The fact that he was caught with so many shows there is a market for it.”