Madlanga Commission | Colonel Jacob says Hawks officials 'colluded with criminals' in R200 million drug theft

Colonel Gavin Jacob, commander of the Durban Organised Crime Unit, has denied any involvement in the 2021 drug theft in KwaZulu-Natal.

Colonel Gavin Jacob, commander of the Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit in the Hawks, told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday that he believes Hawks members conspired with criminals in the 2021 theft of 541 bricks of cocaine worth approximately R200 million from the Hawks Port Shepstone storage facility.

Jacob was one of two officers asked to inspect the shipping container suspected of holding drugs at the Durban Harbour in June 2021.

He said the theft of the drugs had embarrassed the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, the police and the country "and should not go unpunished".

"I do believe that DPCI members have conspired with criminal elements to carry out this crime," he said.