A crime syndicate recently investigated by the police, with a totally different modus operandi than the syndicates mentioned in Operation Judas, was the small, closed syndicate targeted by Operation Dusk. This syndicate specialised in dealing in cocaine, Extasy and other drugs. Only some details were made available by the police as this matter had not been finalised. This syndicate operated without entering into any association or coalition with other criminal groups or individual criminals. It was determined to keep a tight control over all its activities by relying entirely on its own members for the acquisition of drugs from their suppliers in Europe and for disposing of these to known peddlers on the ground. A project was registered to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of the syndicate. The structure which the police investigated, is reflected in Diagram 3.

This syndicate reflects a very rare structure in that the two leading figures, Krige and Brink, operated in partnership to lead a syndicate of thirteen members. The drugs were obtained from the supplier in Europe by Krige or Brink or both of them and then transported to South Africa either by air or by ship. The syndicate had accumulated sufficient capital to be in a position to finance the acquisition of drugs abroad without having to rely on barter trade involving, for example, stolen motor vehicles or dagga exports. Once the drugs had arrived safely in the country, Krige and Brink ensured that the necessary diluting process of the drug from its pure form took place in order to increase the volume of the drugs and therefore the profits. The ‘doctored’ products were then given to Van Vuuren, Grobler and Bredenkamp for further distribution. They, in turn, handed the drugs to members of their syndicate who sold them at street level to known peddlers who were usually members of gangs with wide contacts in shebeens and among drug users.

The modus operandi therefore ensured that the two leaders of the syndicate did not have any direct contact with members other than Van Vuuren, Grobler and Bredenkamp when handling the drugs or money. They were not involved with any sale transactions because that was left to those members who had the responsibility of distributing the drugs at street level. After the drugs had been disposed of by the members who were the distributors, the cash proceeds were sent through the chain to Krige and Brink. These two would then determine the financial rewards which were due to the various members along the chain. No money was therefore directly exchanged between the members who distributed the drugs at street level and the two leaders, Krige and Brink.