The East London Magistrate’s Court this week sentenced three drug dealers who sold drugs to an undercover police officer to 10 years’ imprisonment each.
A fourth dealer was sentenced to a fine of R15000.
Robert Faustini, 44, his son William Faustini, 28, and their runner Godfrey Magazine, 27, operated a drug den in a rented house at 92 St James Road, Southernwood.
Members of the Hawks’ drug enforcement unit started conducting surveillance on it in August.
According to a charge sheet prepared by senior state prosecutor advocate Henke Ackerman, the three men sold dagga and heroin to an undercover police agent on four occasions.
It was the state’s case that Robert controlled the operation, while his son was the go-between in the operation. Magazine brought the drugs for clients.
The first deal went down on August 15, when the officer was sold seven small zipper bags of dagga valued at R400 and five wrappers of heroin, also valued at R400, near the property.
The second deal occurred the next day, when the same officer came back and bought 71 zipper bags of dagga valued at R2000 on the street outside the property.
The third deal took place inside the property on August 24, when the agent bought 55 zipper bags of dagga and 10 wrappers of heroin valued at R2000.
The fourth drug deal was on August 25, when the police officer bought 37 wrappers of heroin valued at R1500.
The transactions were captured on audio and video by narcotics officers secretly stationed nearby.
It was this evidence that prompted the three men to enter a guilty plea.
Further investigation led police to a house at 11 Stanhope Street in Southernwood, where Hamisi Mohammed, 46, was arrested with 7kg of dagga.
On Monday, magistrate Annamarie Elliot sentenced Faustini, his son and Magazine to 10 years in prison. Mohammed was fined R15000. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Three jailed for 10 years on drugs charges
A fourth dealer was sentenced to a fine of R15000.
Robert Faustini, 44, his son William Faustini, 28, and their runner Godfrey Magazine, 27, operated a drug den in a rented house at 92 St James Road, Southernwood.
Members of the Hawks’ drug enforcement unit started conducting surveillance on it in August.
According to a charge sheet prepared by senior state prosecutor advocate Henke Ackerman, the three men sold dagga and heroin to an undercover police agent on four occasions.
It was the state’s case that Robert controlled the operation, while his son was the go-between in the operation. Magazine brought the drugs for clients.
The first deal went down on August 15, when the officer was sold seven small zipper bags of dagga valued at R400 and five wrappers of heroin, also valued at R400, near the property.
The second deal occurred the next day, when the same officer came back and bought 71 zipper bags of dagga valued at R2000 on the street outside the property.
The third deal took place inside the property on August 24, when the agent bought 55 zipper bags of dagga and 10 wrappers of heroin valued at R2000.
The fourth drug deal was on August 25, when the police officer bought 37 wrappers of heroin valued at R1500.
The transactions were captured on audio and video by narcotics officers secretly stationed nearby.
It was this evidence that prompted the three men to enter a guilty plea.
Further investigation led police to a house at 11 Stanhope Street in Southernwood, where Hamisi Mohammed, 46, was arrested with 7kg of dagga.
On Monday, magistrate Annamarie Elliot sentenced Faustini, his son and Magazine to 10 years in prison. Mohammed was fined R15000. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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