Africa-Press – South-Africa. The police officers who secured the conviction of the “notorious drug syndicate leader”, Fadwaan Murphy, have been honoured by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen.
Winde and Allen met with the officers who put Murphy behind bars under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).
“The single-minded determination of these detectives to see this case reach a successful conclusion is highly commendable. This team of detectives displayed true professionalism,” said Winde.
Winde said the conviction had dealt a significant blow to the drug trade in the Western Cape.
“Every criminal put behind bars is another step closer to making the Western Cape and its communities safer. However, much more still needs to be done to rid our communities of this scourge. We will provide any support the SAPS needs to bring those who are destroying our communities to book and to take them off our streets.”
The case dates back to 2015.
According to Timeslive, Murphy was convicted on 197 counts relating to charges of running a criminal enterprise that flooded the Cape Flats with tik (also known as methamphetamine).
The ruling was described as a “landmark ruling” because it was the first time a drug-dealing conviction was secured under POCA.
Since his arrest in 2015, Murphy has reportedly been out on a warning, but the court decided to incarcerate him after his conviction.
News24 previously reported that assets worth R1.7 million were seized from the “well-known, self-proclaimed gang leader” in 2016, including luxury motor vehicles, a trailer, a superbike and vehicles of a business linked to the man.
Murphy, from Mitchells Plain, along with others arrested in a bust at a Grassy Park house in September 2015, faced a total of 239 charges under POCA after drugs and cash, worth more than R4 million, were found on the property.
Allen said:
“I am a firm believer that, in all gang-related cases, POCA should be applied and utilised, as these criminal entities must be brought to their knees. I trust the court will send a clear message and hand down the most severe possible sentence.”
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