According to the provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Zinzi Hani, on Thursday the team followed information on a truck suspected to be transporting drugs.

Hani said an operation to track and trace the vehicle was immediately put into action.

“An operation was organised on the N1 freeway and the truck was spotted at Winelands Engen garage travelling towards Cape Town.“ The vehicle was intercepted and a search was conducted where a large quantity of drugs was found hidden in false wooden boards at the back of the truck,” Hani said.

She said after it was confirmed the vehicle was shipping drugs, the three suspects were arrested on the spot.

The suspects, 39, 42 and 47 years old, were detained and are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday, April 8.

In an unrelated incident last year, the Hawks also busted a shipment of cocaine worth over R400m and the search for the three kingpins is ongoing. The men are believed to be in the Cape Town area.

Israeli national Ahmed Isa with Lithuanians Donates Jukna and Jonas Zulpha have managed to evade authorities while their six co-accused have been remanded in custody.

At the time national Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said with the FBI and the Australian Federal Police, they busted Niel Peter van Zyl, 39, who was found with the stash on the N1 highway in Pretoria.

He was found towing a 3.65m ski boat which carried 800kg of compressed cocaine in special compartments.

According to the “Daily Voice”, shortly after Van Zyl’s arrest, the Hawks arrived in Strand in Cape Town where they busted Rafiek Baderoen, 44, Rashied Baderoen, 48, and Michael Norman, 38, from Strand.

The four men were taken to Pretoria where Tenikatis Valdas was later arrested at OR Tambo Airport trying to flee the country. Isa, who is wanted by Interpol, was believed to be hiding in Camps Bay, but Nkwalase said he was still on the run.

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