Drug dealer arrested

On Monday, the Mahwelereng Police received a tip-off regarding a 32-year old drug dealer in Mokopane.
The information received was followed up and the suspect was arrested while pretending to be a trolley pusher at a local shopping centre. Police approached and searched him and the nyaope drug with a street value of R1300 was discovered on his person. He will appear in the Mokopane Magistrate court soon.
Nyaope is a highly addictive drug and also known as Whoonga , Pinch, Sugars, Plazana, Kwape, H, Thai, and a list of other names. It is a street drug that has allegedly come into widespread use in South Africa since 2010.
Nyaope is said to be cut up heroin mixed wit Rattex, cleaning agents and antiretroviral drugs.  It is sold on the South African streets and only a portion of the substance that users buy is actually heroin. It is sold in loops, bags, hits, straws and foils at about R40 per unit.
The risk of overdosing from injecting is very high, because the user does not know how pure it is (only 10-50% heroin is used depending on the dealer).
The most popular way of using this drug in South Africa is smoking, traditionally called “Chasing the dragon”. The drug is either put on a foil to heat it and the smoke is then inhaled with a straw or it is mixed with dagga and smoked. The drug circulates mainly in towships.