Arshad appeared in the magistrate’s court in KuGompo City this week, where he was granted R2,000 bail, after his arrest last Thursday. He was represented by a Legal Aid attorney.
State prosecutor Lerato Nqinileyo told the court the state had initially opposed bail when Arshad first appeared on Friday because authorities believed he did not possess legal documentation to remain in SA.
“I have since received papers from the investigating officer indicating that he is in fact in the country legally.
“Based on this information . . . the state is not opposing the bail application,” Nqinileyo told the court.
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Buying illegal medication in some spaza shops in KuGompo City proved to be as easy as uttering two words: “Ndithenga iyeza (I would like to buy medicine)”.
This was all that was said by a Daily Dispatch and Go!& Express team in one spaza shop in Duncan Village.
The money was extended to the shopkeeper through an opening in the steel protective mesh.
He foraged out of sight and in seconds came up with a 100ml bottle of AstraPain Syrup (registration 27/22,0139), though it was discreetly wrapped in paper.
He handed it over in exchange for R65 for medicine usually prescribed for children aged six to 12 to relieve mild to moderate pain associated with fever.
The drug contains paracetamol, codeine phosphate and promethazine hydrochloride.
The team had just bought a schedule 2 drug, which, by law, must be dispensed by licensed pharmacists, preferably on prescription by a doctor.
Schedule 2 drugs all come with a warning that there is a risk of “dependency” — addiction.
The directions for use strictly warn against exceeding dosages of 5ml three times a day for children aged between two and five and 5ml to 10ml three times a day for children aged six to 12.
Yet, according to a number of sources spoken to in the course of this report by the Daily Dispatch in partnership with GO! & Express, youths are getting high on AstraPain, downing two to three bottles, mixed into a 2-litre bottle of cold drink.
It is a well-known “secret” in the area that the shop sells illegal medication.
Nearby, in Pefferville Township, we walked into a corner house.
An empty AstraPain bottle lay outside on the street.
The house was empty, but at the back was a small shack where we were able to buy another bottle of AstraPain.
Sources told us the shack was a well-known drug den, and sold the tranquiliser Xanax as well as other codeine-based cough syrups.
We were told the Xanax was sold out, but we could return later in the day when there would be stock.
We were able to buy medication from 22 illegal vendors across the metro in Qonce, Bhisho, Zwelitsha and KuGompo.
We bought what were sold to us as Adco-Dol painkillers, also a schedule 2 drug, as loose pills for R2 each — no packaging, no dosage instructions, no side-effect warnings.
Adco-Dol contains paracetamol, codeine phosphate, caffeine and doxylamine succinate.
One trader in Qonce offered pills in bulk — clearly believing we would be wanting to sell them on — saying we should return when no-one was there.
Not once were we questioned about our purchases. We asked, they supplied, and we paid about R700 in total.
However, the most concerning discovery was the unrestricted sale of Adco-Dol, which carries a risk of dependency if misused.
Adco-Dol tablets were all sold loose, but prices varied from R2 to R5 each, and they would often only be sold in doubles.
There was no sign of the legally required original packaging, dosage instructions, expiry dates or batch information.
Conditions in many of the shops also raised red flags.
We saw the drugs stored in hot, poorly ventilated structures — a further breach of national pharmaceutical laws.
Many of the shops were containers, or cinder brick with few or no windows and poor ventilation, and rooms were hot and stuffy.
Schedule 2 drugs are required to be securely stored under lock and key in their original packaging, in a cool, dry, well-ventilated facility.
In hot, humid conditions, these medications can degrade.
There was no question of paperwork — definitely no receipts.
One employee said most shops got their medicines from suppliers in Qonce.
His boss bought pills from “a big shop” he described as a warehouse.
“They also stock cigarettes,” he said.
Members of the public are encouraged to report such activities
Authorities have warned that these drug sales are unlawful and dangerous.
“While the SAPS is not the lead authority on pharmaceutical regulations, we play a vital role in supporting law enforcement efforts,” Eastern Cape police spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana said.
“The SAPS often assists in joint, multidisciplinary operations focusing on illicit goods, working alongside the department of health, law enforcement agencies and the SA Revenue Service.”
Gantana said police had yet to receive a formal complaint about these illicit sales, nor had a docket been opened.
“Members of the public are encouraged to report such activities.
“At the same time, we also need public health education. We are not investing enough as a country.
“We are not informing the public what it is that they should be able to access from pharma shops and open shelves in terms of medication and what they cannot access there,” she said.
A teenage boy in the area demonstrated how people diluted AstraPain into a 2l soft drink to create a potent mixture.
He took the team to Ndende in Duncan Village, where a shop was selling the medicine.
Using a 2l bottle of soft drink, he emptied some out, then poured the entire 100ml of the codeine-based syrup into it.
Within seconds, the clear drink turned a deep purple.
“There were no questions asked. I just said ‘ndithenga iyeza’.
He said users often combined the mixture with other substances to intensify the effect.
“Most people boost their high by smoking nyaope or dagga. Some add Xanax,” he said.
The consequences, he said, were visible the next day.
“Most people wake up in the morning with swollen faces.”
He said other products, such as Stilpane, a painkiller containing codeine, and Alcophyllex, a cough syrup containing theophylline and diphenhydramine, were also popular.
“They find ways to get Xanax from pharmacies around town because the word on the street is that Stilpane and Alcophyllex are not as strong as they used to be,” he said.
“So they try to boost it.”
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Nqinileyo requested that bail be set at R10,000 and that Arshad report weekly to his nearest police station.
However, magistrate Luthando Screetch ruled that because the matter was now unopposed, the accused could be released on R2,000 cash bail.
“The matter is unopposed as it turned out that the applicant before court is in the country legally,” Screetch said.
“Therefore the court will release him on bail of R2,000 cash.”
The magistrate ordered that upon payment of bail, Arshad be released under strict conditions, including appearing personally in Court A at 8.30am on July 15.
He further ordered Arshad to report to the Cambridge police station every Wednesday between 6am and 6pm, from June 3.
Failure to appear in court or comply with the bail conditions would result in the forfeiture of the bail money and the issuing of a warrant for his arrest.
“He is further informed that it is also a punishable offence to fail to appear in court or fail to comply with the conditions as indicated,” Screetch said.
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A Daily Dispatch and GO! & Express report into the illegal sale of formal Schedule 2 drugs in multiple spaza shops across the metro has sparked an investigation by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).
Sahpra chief executive Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said the Medicines and Related Substances Act permits authorised wholesalers, including supermarkets and spaza shops, to sell schedule 0 medicinal products such as vitamins, certain low-dosage pain medications like paracetamol and aspirin, but these products must remain in their original packaging and must be registered or approved by Sahpra.
She said that while the act allows for the sale of schedule 0 medicines, strict limitations apply. Quantities at or above specified thresholds, such as 100 units or more, may result in the product being classified as Schedule 1, which is subject to tighter regulatory controls and cannot be sold in the same manner.
Semete-Makokotlela said unlicensed outlets, including spaza shops, were only permitted to sell a limited range of low-risk medicines.
“Products containing codeine fall outside of this category and are subject to stricter controls due to their potential for misuse and dependence,” Semete-Makokotlela said.
“These medicines are intended to be supplied through authorised healthcare professionals, such as pharmacies, where proper oversight, advice, and record-keeping can be ensured.
“This helps to protect the public from potential harm.”
Semete-Makokotlela implored members of the public to buy medical supplies from licensed and reputable outlets, and to consult a healthcare professional if they have any questions about appropriate treatment.
She said medicines must be sold in properly labelled packaging that includes important information for safe use, such as dosage instructions, warnings, and expiry dates.
“Repackaging of medicines into smaller or ‘patient-ready’ packs is not something that can be done freely.
“It is a controlled process that may only be carried out by qualified and authorised personnel, typically within licensed pharmacy settings, and under appropriate professional supervision.
“These measures are in place to protect the public by ensuring that medicines remain safe, effective, and accompanied by the correct information.”
Semete-Makokotlela said “improper packaging or unauthorised handling” of medicines can compromise quality and increase risks.
She said Sahpra had ongoing operations with BCM and various stakeholders, including police, to curb the scourge.
She also confirmed they have received complaints from members of the public across the country regarding similar incidents, all of which she said are being investigated.
“Following previous operations and cases opened at various police stations around Buffalo City, there was a noticeable decrease in complaints.
“However, this matter represents the second complaint reported in 2026,” Semete-Makokotlela said.
She said the sites that were identified in the investigation will be “subject to inspection,” and criminal cases will be pursued where violations are confirmed.
“Any scheduled medicines found on the premises are confiscated on the spot.”
Provincial health MEC Ntandokazi Capa’s spokesperson Camagwini Mavovana said: “Where credible evidence of unlawful sale is provided, the department will coordinate investigations with provincial pharmaceutical services, Sahpra and law enforcement agencies.”
She reminded the public the illegal and irregular sale of medicine was strictly prohibited under the Medicines and Related Substances Act and the Pharmacy Act.
The sale of loose tablets outside regulated pharmacy processes is not permitted
Mavovana said only Schedule 0 medicines, such as basic pain relievers and over-the-counter products, could be sold at general retailers.
“Schedule 1 and 2 medicines may only be sold in pharmacies under the supervision of a pharmacist, while Schedule 3 and above require a valid prescription,” she said.
“Codeine-containing medicines may only be sold through licensed pharmacies.
“It is unlawful for spaza shops to sell these products or to remove them from their original packaging.”
Mavovana stressed that medicines must always be dispensed with proper labelling, including batch numbers, expiry dates and dosage instructions.
“The sale of loose tablets outside regulated pharmacy processes is not permitted,” she said.
Retailers found in violation of these regulations faced criminal prosecution, business closure, fines and the confiscation of goods.
She said: “Codeine is an opioid and can lead to dependency if misused. Easy access, particularly without proper guidance or dosage control, increases the likelihood of abuse and harmful side effects.”
She said oversight of medicine regulation in SA was the mandate of the police, Sahpra and city law enforcement agencies.
Monitoring inspections were conducted periodically, with further inspections expected in affected areas.
Mavovana said Buffalo City Metro had 10 licensed pharmacies, and public healthcare facilities were required by law to operate under pharmacist supervision.
Prof Sikhumbuzo Mabunda, head of public health medicine at Walter Sisulu University, said there needed to be more public awareness about the safe purchase of medication and people needed to understand what should not be sold on open shelves.
Mabunda said some of the products sold in the spaza shops led to “dependency [addiction] abuse, misuse, and there can also be side effects as well”.
“And then we come into a vicious cycle in which dependency and addiction will create social challenges. People will do anything to access the drug, including stealing and selling the drug.”
He said a lot of monitoring of outlets was required, “but unfortunately, there are shortfalls in the way this is managed”.
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Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Arshad was identified during an intelligence-driven covert operation at his mini-supermarket on South Haven Road in Dorchester Heights.
“The arrest follows a protracted and methodical investigation initiated after law enforcement authorities received credible information indicating that an unidentified foreign national operating from the business premises was [allegedly] unlawfully selling so-called ‘sleeping tablets’ to members of the public without lawful medical authorisation or the requisite pharmaceutical licensing,” Mhlakuvana said.
He said the investigation began on March 29 when investigators conducted a controlled test purchase operation.
“During the operation, members observed individuals entering the premises and purchasing blue tablets suspected to be scheduled medication.
“The tablets were seized and subsequently subjected to forensic examination.”
Mhlakuvana said forensic analysis conducted on April 7 confirmed that the tablets were controlled medication, which could only legally be dispensed by registered pharmaceutical or medical practitioners.
He said further undercover purchases and verification operations were conducted before police executed another operation on May 21.
During the raid, police seized 97 Alprazolam tablets, 44 Adco-Dol tablets, 10 Stilpane tablets and 45 unidentified white tablets.
“The suspect was arrested and charged with contravening the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, relating to the unlawful possession and dealing in medicines.”
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