Maletswai (Aliwal North) drug kings caught napping on their own supply!

THREE TIK-TOKERS IN THE DOCK!

Cops lift mattress to find R38k drug ‘pharmacy’

MALETSWAI (Aliwal North) – These three “Tik-Tokers” weren’t making dance videos—they were allegedly busy making a “killing” selling drugs to the community!

The game came to a crashing end on Wednesday, 21 January, when the SAPS Public Order Policing (POP) Unit decided to follow the trail of smoke and mirrors in the Joe Gqabi District. The specialist team, working with high-level intelligence, descended on the town of Maletswai (Aliwal North) like a swarm of angry hornets.

They didn’t just knock; they came looking for the “white pipe” and the “buttons” that have been ruining local lives.

The search led them to three separate residential properties. While the houses appeared normal from the outside, the inside told a different story. In a scene straight out of a movie, officers began lifting furniture and poking into dark corners.

The biggest shock came when they flipped over a mattress. Instead of finding springs and feathers, they found a drug lord’s starter pack! Hidden away from prying eyes were 13 small sachets of Tik, another 78 sachets of the same “ice,” and a massive stash of 302 Mandrax tablets.

“They were literally sleeping on the evidence,” said an onlooker who watched as the drama unfolded. “You think you know your neighbours, but you don’t know what’s happening under their beds!”

The total haul of drugs is estimated to be worth R38 777.00. But that wasn’t all—cops also sniffed out a mountain of cash, suspected to be the hard-earned money of desperate addicts.

The three suspects, aged between 36 and 39, were promptly handcuffed and marched out of their homes in front of stunned residents. They were hauled off to the Maletswai Magistrate’s Court yesterday to face the music on charges of dealing in and possession of illicit drugs.

However, the community was left scratching their heads when the trio walked out of court shortly after. Despite the nearly R40k worth of drugs found, the court granted them bail of just R500 each.

The “Tik-Tokers” are now back on the streets, but they have a date with destiny when they return to the same court on 19 March 2026. For now, the cops are celebrating a big win, but the war against drugs continues.