Exams stymie surprise drug swoop
22 March 2010, 14:12
By Rizwana Sheik Umar
A huge police continent was ready for a dramatic swoop on five Chatsworth schools on Friday, but had to back off the surprise raid because pupils at four of them were writing examinations.
But police have vowed to stamp out drugs and crime in Chatsworth schools, saying Friday's operation, which ultimately went ahead at one school, was the first of many.
Operation School Safety, launched on Friday to coincide with Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa's visit to the region, saw more than 100 policemen and women descend upon Witteklip Secondary School in Unit 5, Croftdene.
The operation was aimed at eradicating narcotics, dangerous weapons and other illicit items at schools.
As the siren sounded signaling pupils to head to their classrooms after their lunch break, police swooped in with a sniffer dog and went from classroom to classroom searching each pupil's bag.
At Witteklip, however, the police left largely empty handed, except for a few cellphones and DVDs whose ownership was questionable.
Vulnerable communities, such as those in Chatsworth, have become havens for drug lords, said SAPS Director Aaron Robert Harry, who headed the operation.
Harry said some community members were aware of the illicit activities, but didn't report them to the police because they were effectively being paid to remain silent.
Referring to them as "drug dogs", Harry said the drug bosses "manipulate people by paying their bills and buying their groceries in exchange for their silence".
"We want to send a message to the people of Chatsworth and to the drug dogs that we are coming for them and we are going to deal with them. Anyone who is found to be associated with these (people) will be prosecuted," Harry said.
The chairman of the Chatsworth Local Drug Action Committee and Anti-Drug Forum, Sam Pillay, commended the operation. Pillay said it was important that such operations were targeted at schools, especially as children start experimenting with drugs from younger ages.
Children as young as nine years old were taking drugs, said Pillay.
Democratic Alliance councillor for the area, Rocky Naidoo, said any raid by police to curb the drug problem was welcomed. "This type of police action has our support. The drug problem is out of hand here," he said.
Naidoo added that children were increasingly turning to crime to service their drug habits, which was a dangerous trend.
Minister Mthethwa, who arrived at the school moments after the operation had concluded, was not available for comment.
A huge police continent was ready for a dramatic swoop on five Chatsworth schools on Friday, but had to back off the surprise raid because pupils at four of them were writing examinations.
But police have vowed to stamp out drugs and crime in Chatsworth schools, saying Friday's operation, which ultimately went ahead at one school, was the first of many.
Operation School Safety, launched on Friday to coincide with Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa's visit to the region, saw more than 100 policemen and women descend upon Witteklip Secondary School in Unit 5, Croftdene.
The operation was aimed at eradicating narcotics, dangerous weapons and other illicit items at schools.
As the siren sounded signaling pupils to head to their classrooms after their lunch break, police swooped in with a sniffer dog and went from classroom to classroom searching each pupil's bag.
At Witteklip, however, the police left largely empty handed, except for a few cellphones and DVDs whose ownership was questionable.
Vulnerable communities, such as those in Chatsworth, have become havens for drug lords, said SAPS Director Aaron Robert Harry, who headed the operation.
Harry said some community members were aware of the illicit activities, but didn't report them to the police because they were effectively being paid to remain silent.
Referring to them as "drug dogs", Harry said the drug bosses "manipulate people by paying their bills and buying their groceries in exchange for their silence".
"We want to send a message to the people of Chatsworth and to the drug dogs that we are coming for them and we are going to deal with them. Anyone who is found to be associated with these (people) will be prosecuted," Harry said.
The chairman of the Chatsworth Local Drug Action Committee and Anti-Drug Forum, Sam Pillay, commended the operation. Pillay said it was important that such operations were targeted at schools, especially as children start experimenting with drugs from younger ages.
Children as young as nine years old were taking drugs, said Pillay.
Democratic Alliance councillor for the area, Rocky Naidoo, said any raid by police to curb the drug problem was welcomed. "This type of police action has our support. The drug problem is out of hand here," he said.
Naidoo added that children were increasingly turning to crime to service their drug habits, which was a dangerous trend.
Minister Mthethwa, who arrived at the school moments after the operation had concluded, was not available for comment.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of The Daily News on March 22, 2010
Johannesburg
