CHC container depot

Captain Duma contacted Colonel Jacob and Warrant Officer Mpangase from DPC I Durban to request their assistance with an inspection of a container suspected of smuggling 27 kilograms of cocaine at CHC Container Depot.

“I contacted Colonel Jacob , who was the unit commander ... and Warrant Officer Mpangase from D P C I , Durban . I provided the intelligence that I had gathered and requested their assistance to conduct an inspection of the commodity on one of the containers that were suspected of being used to smuggle 27 kilograms of Cocaine at CHC Container Depot .”

Colonel Jacob considered that carrying exhibits to a less congested area at the far end of the CHC container depot posed certain risks but deemed it safer than conveying them to Isipingo SAP about four kilometers away, which is situated near Umlazi, a high-risk area. He also considered calling a tactical team to assist but decided against it due to their longer response time and preference for unpacking and counting at the police station to reduce risk.

“I considered possibly carrying these bags to a less congested area at the far end of the depot. In my opinion, the risk associated with conveying these exhibits to another part of the depot was greater than the risk of conveying the exhibits to Isipingo SAP, which is approximately four kilometers away from the depot. The depot is situated approximately 11 kilometers away from Umlazi, which is a high-risk area. I considered calling a tactical team to assist to secure the area, but decided against it as I knew their response time would be longer than I would have required. I also based this decision on the basis that the unpacking and counting at the police station would pose lesser risk.”

Colonel Jacob confirmed that he learned details about a 27 kg cocaine container not directly at the CHC depot but during a briefing meeting near the depot with Captain Duma before proceeding to look for the container.

“The 7 kilograms, the number was relayed to us at a briefing spot where we met Captain Duma, which was close by to the depot.”

The Mega Freight agent states in his 2025 statement that he was not aware of the inspection allegedly taking place at the CHC container depot on 1 July 2021 because he was not informed.

“At page 654 the same person, that Mega freight agent, at paragraph 3 states: "I was not aware of the inspection that allegedly took place at the CHC container depot on the 1st of July 2021 as I was not informed."”

Colonel Jacob claims the warehouse manager can confirm that he was not acting in isolation at the container depot exercise on 1 July 2021.

“The warehouse manager can confirm what I am saying. It was not just me in isolation.”

Ms Pillay's statement on 6 July 2021 corroborates that members and an unnamed official from Mega Freight were present at the container depot on 1 July 2021.

“On the 1st of July these members were present and an official from Megafreight was present, unnamed.”

Colonel Jacob notes that Ms Pillay's second statement references his visit on 22 June 2021 but not the visit on 1 July 2021.

“And in this statement she says it is a further statement. She references the one we just went through. No. She speaks of your visit on the 22nd of June 021, and that is at paragraph 3. You see that?”

The statement taken on 27 October 2025 by an individual is described by Colonel Jacob as 'shoddy' and refers incorrectly to events around the seizure of drugs in a container on 1 July 2026, but actually relates to the search on 22 June.

“this statement is taken on the 27th of October 2025 by the very same individual that I am alleging is always taking shoddy statements ... I was not aware of the inspection that allegedly took place at the CHC container depot on the 1st of July 2026 as I was not informed”

Colonel Jacob describes his involvement in an investigation regarding a container with suspected cocaine at the CHC container depot in Isipingo on June 22, 2021.

“On the said morning, I was fetched from my residence by Warrant Officers Mpangase and Sibiya... The information was that there was a container in Isipingo with suspected Cocaine inside... We proceeded to the depot... alleged to be 27 pieces or units of Cocaine in container number BEAU595535, which was stored at the CHC container depot in Isipingo... Upon opening the container it was noted that there were numerous black canvas bags placed onto 50-kilogram bags of animal feed... Upon inspection of one of those bags, we noticed it to contain suspected one-kilogram bricks of Cocaine... 27 such bags with warehouse staff... the depot was busy with machinery traversing our immediate vicinity... Umlazi is 11 kilometres away from the depot, which I saw as a risk, and we were working in an uncovered area of the depot.”

CHC container depot itself is not a fortified or heavily secured premises except for a boom gate manned by a security officer.

“If I speak specifically about CHC container depot , the depot in itself is not a fortified premises . It is not heavily secured , except for a boom gate and a security officer manning that boom gate . There is no additional security that I was aware of .”

The operations to seize drugs at the depot occur in less-than-ideal security environments, according to Colonel Jacob's testimony.

“Your testimony to this Commission is that all that activity takes place in less-than-ideal security environments . Is that your testimony ? ... In some cases , yes , Commissioner .”

Colonel Jacob decided not to stop all operations after discovering drugs at the depot on 22 June, citing logistical and space constraints and he viewed the depot as an innocent party, merely in possession of the suspect container and not an offense requiring lifting physical evidence from the depot itself.

“This is my first visit to CHC Container Depot. ... The container was removed from a stack ... The working space was not that conducive. ... I made a decision ... we did not have enough bags, the area is small. This is not an offence that required us uplifting physical evidence from the depot. ... the depot itself was not, I would not even say complicit, but they are just an innocent party, happened to be in possession of this suspect container at that point in time.”

Colonel Jacob considered the crime scene to be only the container, not the depot itself, and logistical challenges prevented moving or sealing up the container at the depot.

“My actual concern is the crime scene, which is the container. The depot plays no real role in anything. ... Do I seal up that container and take the whole container to another workspace? ... If this container was at the rear of a truck travelling on the N3 and we pulled over this truck, do I now say the side of the N3 is my crime scene ... My point being ... is the container. The depot plays no role ... I made a decision ... this is not an offence that required uplifting physical evidence from the depot.”

Lt-Col Duma states he was instructed to attend the inspection on 23 June 2021, not on the 22nd when the drugs were seized at the CHC container depot.

“I only received the instruction to attend inspection on the 23rd .”

Lieutenant-Colonel Duma provided intelligence to Colonel Jacob and Warrant Officer Mpangase from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in Durban about a container suspected of being used to smuggle 27 kilograms of cocaine at the CHC Container Depot in Durban South.

“I provided the intelligence that I had gathered and requested their assistance to conduct an inspection of the commodity on one of the containers that was suspected of being used to smuggle 27 kilograms of Cocaine at CHC Container, Durban”

On 21 June 2021, intelligence indicated that a container at CHC container depot in Isipingo, Prospecton, Durban possibly contained illicit drugs, prompting retrieval of the container for inspection.

“Following intelligence received on 21 June 2021, a container that was at the CHC container depot in Isipingo, Prospecton, Durban had been identified as possibly containing illicit drugs. The depot was called in order to retrieve the container for inspection”