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namib times
SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6761 TUESDAY 19 JUNE 2018 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
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Cocaine bust of the century: Fishing Rights: No bail for Noble and Azhar “Don’t Play” Page 3
Thieves caught on camera
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Grant Noble (36), a well known Walvis Bay resident who was arrested on Friday following the discovery of 412 kilograms of cocaine in a freight container in the port of Walvis Bay, made a first appearance before a local magistrate yesterday on a charge of drug dealing. At his side was his co-accused, a South African national identified as Dinath Azhar (62). The duo are due back in court on 20 September this year and neither brought any bail application. The Namibian Police and the Department of Customs kept the cargo container under surveillance since it was discharged from a ship in the port of Walvis Bay earlier this month. The container arrived from Brazil via Cape Town. Knowing that the container might contain drugs, the authorities only reacted when the consignee, in the person of Grant Noble, arrived in port on Friday to claim the container. In Noble’s presence the container was opened and soon a substance believed to be cocaine were discovered, neatly packed in carton boxes
meant for photo copy paper. After Noble’s arrest followed the arrest of Azhar. Samples were taken of the substance and it is now up to Namibia’s national forensic laboratory to confirm whether indeed it is cocaine. Soon after the news broke on Friday, namib times described the incident as the drug bust of the century. It also turns out now that this could be the single biggest drug bust of its kind on the African continent. Members of the Walvis Bay community turned out in significant numbers yesterday to witness the accussed Noble and Azhar’s first court appearance. The duo appeared before magistrate Vickey Nikolaidis in her office where they were Continues on page 2
Schools ordered to start later School across Namibia are advised not to start actual teaching before 07:30 daily and those operating the platoon system (two school sessions per day) should complete teaching by 16:30 daily. This is an interim measure applicable during the winter to ensure parents have adequate time to drop their children off at school and to prevent children from walking to school in the dark. The Permanent Secretary of Education Sanet Steenkamp issued a directive in this regard to schools last week. Namibia abolished winter time in 2018 and the country now operates on a single time Continues on page 2
Fuel hikes bring further consumer pressure
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Fifty for Chrysander Botha
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