Free State SAPS Arrest Suspect Dressed As Santa Claus for Drug Dealing
- A 17-year-old was arrested in Ladybrand after police uncovered drugs hidden behind the sale of “Christmas sweets”
- The arrest follows a SAPS report warning that powerful syndicates are driving South Africa’s drug trade
- Recent cases in Etwatwa and Johannesburg show growing concern over drugs targeting children and teenagers
Source: Facebook
FREE STATE-Members of the Welkom Anti-Gang Unit uncovered an alleged drug-dealing operation disguised as a festive treat sale in Ladybrand, leading to the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect on 28 December 2025.
According to SAPS, police became suspicious when a person dressed as Santa Claus was selling “Christmas sweets” exclusively to adults known to police, rather than to children.
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Police apprehend the suspect
Officers moved in to investigate, and the suspect immediately tried to run. He was quickly caught, and a search found 49 small zip-lock bags of crystal meth weighing a total of 16.75 grams. Police also seized cash in South African rand and Lesotho maluti, believed to be money made from selling drugs.
A drug dealing case was opened at Ladybrand Police Station. As the suspect is only 17 years old, he was dealt with under the Child Justice Act and released into the care of a legal guardian.
The Ladybrand arrest comes amid growing concern about the scale of drug trafficking across South Africa.
Police Minister's report identifies drug kingpins in SA
A confidential police report submitted to Parliament by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has reportedly revealed the identities of some of the country’s most powerful drug kingpins, suggesting that Nigerian syndicates are dominating the illegal drug trade. The report, compiled by the SAPS Crime Intelligence and Forensic Services Division and presented to Mchunu in June, identifies several Nigerian nationals as major figures in South Africa’s drug underworld, describing them as modern-day Pablo Escobars. Gauteng was flagged as the most lucrative region for drug trafficking, with multiple kingpins operating in the province, while two Nigerian nationals were named as the leading drug bosses in the Free State.
Source: Facebook
In a related incident, ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo, apprehended a suspected drug dealer in Etwatwa who allegedly sold drug-laced baked goods to teenagers, leaving several of them seriously ill and hospitalised. Khumalo shared a video on his X account, explaining how the incident unfolded. He said he was campaigning in Etwatwa when members of a local church approached him with alarming information about a drug dealer operating on church premises. According to Khumalo, the suspect was selling baked goods infused with drugs, mainly to young children and teenagers. He described the discovery of drugs being sold at a church as deeply upsetting. Several youths who consumed the baked goods reportedly became ill and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
In previous news, Briefly reported that one of the four suspects accused of forcing a young child to smoke drugs in Newclare, Johannesburg, was denied bail when they appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 22 August 2025. According to SABC News, Magistrate Annalisa Tlhapi refused the bail application, saying the suspect could evade trial and pose a danger to other children in the area if released. Tlhapi added that the suspect presents a risk not only of using drugs but also of giving drugs to children. The four suspects, including the child’s mother, were arrested on 30 July after a video showing them forcing a toddler to smoke from a drug pipe went viral. They have been charged with attempted murder and with exposing the child to a harmful substance.
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Source: Briefly News
