Gauteng police investigators arrested five suspects on Thursday night, who were allegedly caught with drugs worth R200 000 in the Roodepoort area, as well as a crocodile on the premises.
Police said they received a tip off, saying cracking down on drug dealing was a priority for the police service.
Police said the five were arrested by detectives from the Organised Crime Investigations, Forensic Services and West Rand K-9 unit.
The police had to call in officials from the SPCA to handle the crocodile that was found on the premises.
The arrestees have been charged with being in possession of drugs and dealing in drugs.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said police received a tip off about the alleged drug dealing which was taking place nearby two schools in the community.
‘The members conducted a search of the premises and recovered various types of narcotics which include hydrophonic dagga, dagga trees and edible narcotics,” he said.
He said police also recovered two firearms.
It is unknown whether the crocodile acted as a “drug mule”.
In another incident In Dainfern, Johannesburg, the Gauteng Provincial Organised Crime Narcotics Unit secured a search warrant and recovered crystal meth worth R400 000.
Masondo said four suspects – including three women – were arrested.
Gauteng’s Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said: ‘This successful arrest and seizure is huge leap in the direction of rooting out drugs in our society.
‘It is imperative that community members report suspicious and criminal activities in their area to the police,’ said Mawela.