Two properties in Bryanston and Douglasdale, north of Johannesburg, have been raided by police. It is believed by the police that the syndicate produced large amounts of mandrax tablets, and a third drug laboratory is currently under investigation.
The DEA have discovered two tunnels constructed for smuggling drugs into the US. The one tunnel was incomplete, but the other had recently completed and was thought to be used to get meth into Arizona from Mexico.
The United Nations has just just released the World Drugs Report for 2012. The information shared is pretty interesting. For example, what percentage of South Africans do you think smoke weed? Take a guess.
On Tuesday, the FDA approved the first ever over-the-counter, at-home test for HIV. The test will offer customers complete privacy and could be on shelves in the States as soon as October.
The Economist has surprised everybody by doing something fun, using the United Nations’ World Drug Report 2012 (released yesterday) to generate a map of the world’s heaviest weed users. The Pacific island of Palau wins easily, with nearly a quarter of people aged 15 to 64 having smoked pot in the past year. South Africa does okay, too.
Check out Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, recording a rap tune in a bid to curb drug and alcohol abuse. Non-kids (especially those in advertising and politics) trying to be as cool a real kids normally just looks awkward. So does De Lille manage to not look like a fool doing this? Check it out and decide for yourself – after the jump!
Yesterday, news broke that this year’s Comrades Marathon winner, Ludwick Mamabolo, had tested positive for the banned substance methylhexaneamine. It is the same substance that got Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson in trouble in 2010.
Glow sticks burned brightly all over Canada yesterday as optimistic ravers partied at the thought of being able to pick up doses of MDMA at their local government run ecstasy shops. Dr Perry Kendall said that pure MDMA is “safe” when consumed responsibly by adults.
Renowned sportswriter Mark Keohane resigned from his position as spokesperson for the South African Olympic team and stepped down as director of Highbury Safika Media (HSM) following sexual harassment and drug abuse claims.
Yesterday comedian Russell Brand gave evidence to British MP’s about his battle with addiction during a renewal of the government’s current drugs policy. True to his style, Brand sported a sleeveless t-shirt that showed off his heavily tattooed arm, copious jewellery, cowboy boots and hat, and a long trenchcoat. His colourful speech included a description of how emotional and psychological difficulties led to him becoming addicted to drugs.
You thought living in Johannesburg or Cape Town was dangerous business? Apparently not. The people of El Salvador, in Central America, have it much, much worse. With an average of 12 murders a day, peaking at 18 a day early this year, this is a much dodgier place to be texting in an alley.
This morning we told you about Deadmau5 taking on Madonna via Twitter. He mistook her asking the crowd at a recent concert if “they’ve seen Molly?” for disguised drug use promotion. It turns out she was actually referring to one of her new singles, “Have you seen Molly”, and took to Twitter to correct the electro artist. She even used a pic! Awkward.
Toronto’s Deadmau5 has been blasting Madonna on his Facebook page for asking folks at the Miami Ultra Music Festival if they’ve seen “molly,” which is young-person speak for MDMA. Deadmau5 moved from slating Madonna’s embarrassing use of drug slang to a spiel about equating electro with drug use – with a couple of tasteful expletives thrown in.
Barely a month after Nolubabalo Nobanda made international headlines for trying to bring cocaine into Thailand via her dreadlocks, another South African has been caught smuggling drugs. Patience Monkei-Khame was arrested over the weekend in Malawi, after four kilograms of nose candy was found hidden in a baby pram she was pushing.
Following hot on the heels of South African tourist Nobanda Nolubabalo’s dreadlock cocaine bust in Thailand, reports today reveal that at least three other SA citizens have been busted for drug trafficking in the last week. So if you’re travelling internationally this holiday, don’t drop dead with surprise if you’re searched at customs, particularly if you’re a young female.
By now you must have heard of Nobanda Nolubabalo, the 23 year-old South African who was arrested in Bangkok on Monday. She is accused of being a drug mule and was allegedly carrying 1.5kg of cocaine, hidden in her dreadlocks. Photos of customs officers searching her hair have since appeared online. See them after the jump.
Footage showing a Liverpool drug dealer throwing R1,5 million worth of cocaine from a moving car has been released by police. The guy tossed 2kg of the drug from the window of a Mercedes while being followed by police filming the chase.
Darren Aronofsky is the well-known film director behind Requiem for a Dream, and more recently, Black Swan. He has made a series of shocking adverts – each stressing the horrible consequences of abusing methamphetamine, or Tik as it is known here. Be warned however, even though these are must-see material, some of them are very disturbing and probably NSFW.
Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim, the national coordinator of People Against Gangsterism And Drugs, is busy resurrecting Pagad following his release from prison. The 61-year-old spent nine years in jail and two on parole, but now that he’s a free man, he is driving the resurgence of his movement, with plans to open branches around the country.
You may remember that a little while back Rihanna got into some hot water with an Irish farmer for being topless in one of his fields. That video is now out, and is showing all the signs of some possible brain damage, most likely induced by Chris Brown.
Drugs are great. Don’t listen to those naysayers who offer hugs instead. Silly. Whoever heard of a hug that produced art, ideas, conversation and discovery? Some may have led to sex, sure, but then I reckon ecstasy wins on that count. Of course, drugs kill people and ruin lives. So do guns, politicians, earthquakes, religion, airline food, ignorance, baseball-bats, well timed punches, badly timed racing drivers, and a host of animals. But none of these things gives us the sheer pleasure while hastening our demise that drugs do. Wine is my drug of choice.
Two Israeli scientists say they have developed a sensor that can accurately detect date-rape drugs in drinks 100 percent of the time – a tiny, drink-stirrer-looking device that, when dipped into your appletini or other refreshing beverage, can detect the presence of dissolved drugs. Nice job, science.
Wife of the State Security Minister and convicted drug smuggler, Sheryl Cwele, will once again be enjoying her full salary, even though she’s a serious criminal.
A UK man was one of six drug smugglers caught yesterday at OR Tambo International. The creative fellow was wearing a handsome bra and panties stuffed full of cocaine.
The Global Commission on Drug Policy has released a report stating that the ‘war on drugs’ has failed. Like Dame Judi Dench and Sting, the 19-member panel – which includes Sir Richard Branson, Kofi Annan and former leaders of Brazil and Mexico – is urging for the decriminalization of drugs. The USA is not amused.
The illegal drug debate is terribly à la mode right now. More than 30 high profile UK figures and celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench and Sting, are urging Prime Minister David Cameron to decriminalise drugs. Co-incidently, this follows Holland’s decision to ban foreigners from its cannabis-selling coffee shops. It would solve the problem for Brits who can’t get their kicks in Amsterdam anymore.
Tired of having to mission to a parking lot to score some hash? Constantly fearing the wrath of the pigs? Scared of your Nigerian coke dealer? Now, according to Gawker, there’s a safe and easy way for you, the tech-savvy drug-aficionado, to source your drug of choice: online.
This story could only happen in Africa, or maybe Russia. And as insane as this sounds, it’s all true: Sheryl Cwele, wife of State Security Minister, Siyabonga Cwele, who was convicted last week of international drug trafficking, will keep her job as director of health and community services at the Hibuscus Coast Municipality.
A new study has found that drinking alcohol primes certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better. In a nutshell, when we drink alcohol (or take certain other drugs) our subconscious is learning to consume more. But it also becomes more receptive to forming subconscious memories and habits with respect to food, music, and even people or social situations. I’ll toast to that!
Aside from hunting, interbreeding and kicking back in caves, looks like our ancestors were totally into hallucinogenics. Researchers have been analysing cave paintings in Spain, and have come to the conclusion that our long lost relatives weren’t adverse to dabbling with ‘magic mushrooms’ from time to time.