Berg Alert 2012

One 9mm and the guys are heavily armed??
A threat to Jimmy Shiny Shoes and his snot nosed kids at the Drakensburg Sun??
I don’t think so.
Beware of sensationalism in reporting.
The Cops are winning?? Not too sure about that, we hear about every bust, but we don’t hear about every successful delivery, do we.
Activity is up, any hiker with a few years of Berg under the belt can see that, but the incidents (hiker -smuggler) are not. Petty theft at the chain ladders is more of a problem for hikers.
Keep up the good relations which includes mutual respect no matter what you think of their chosen profession.
Ignore them or interact at whatever level you feel comfortable. (We had an impromptu photo shoot last weekend).
Avoid the transit passes at night and don’t camp on the “highways”.
In the words of Ford Prefect (Douglas Adams).. DON’T PANIC.
G

Its quite clear that the writer of that article knows very little on the matter, anyone who has done a few short hikes knows better...



The above photo was taken on the Giant's Castle Ridge, and was by no means the only smugglers we came across. If they were serious about it they could very easily take down the syndicates, arrest the drug mules and give them lighter sentences for details of their customers, or even just mess with supply by torching the dagga fields.

mnt_tiska wrote: My view is that smuggling is very much a berg alert issue. Given the choice I would rather camp in a valley not used by smugglers than one used by smugglers no matter how friendly they are. I don't go to the Berg to interact with these guys. A compelling additional reason is that these guys usually pack firearms - one of the busts included a 9mm - and there have been incidents involving hikers and smugglers where rounds have been let off. That qualifies as an alert.

Where Geordie makes a vital point is in the last line of the posting - i.e. the perceived link between smugglers and hikers whereby the hikers are thought to be doing the reporting. This is one of the reasons I was interested in where the intelligence for the busts came from. So long as the aircraft are in the sky during these busts I think the perceived connection between hikers and intelligence will be likely overlooked. The truth is that knowledge of the smuggling is widespread. Years ago I remember a conversation with the police at Mnweni (post 1994) when a lot of sniggering went on behind the charge desk when the issue of smuggling was raised. They were well aware but didn't want to go there.

I disagree with Geordie that the smuggling on the current scale has always existed. Prior to 1994 I never came across it and that included 50+ Berg trips. Now, as we know, it is routine.

Yep. Simply, and sadly, at least up until a few years ago the Police at that particular station were more than obviously involved in the movement of Dagga in that area. Period.

ghaznavid wrote: Its quite clear that the writer of that article knows very little on the matter, anyone who has done a few short hikes knows better...



The above photo was taken on the Giant's Castle Ridge, and was by no means the only smugglers we came across. If they were serious about it they could very easily take down the syndicates, arrest the drug mules and give them lighter sentences for details of their customers, or even just mess with supply by torching the dagga fields.

Just to clear something up here.
This shot could just as easily be one of sheperds returning home with purchases from KZN.
Those on the escarpment edge often go down into KZN to the trading stores to purchase goods for every day consumption.
Be careful of photographing these guys without their knowledge or consent. It is disrespectful and incitive. I'm not saying don't. I'm just saying be circumspect.
As the other guy says...we are not the army, let them get on with it.
Both the smugglers and the army.
To be honest what aggravates me, far more than the drugs, is the mess these guys make of / leave on the trails!

They were heading down the pass with big bags on their donkeys... The photo was taken with 18X zoom, I was actually trying to figure out what they where doing more than trying to get a photo of them...

A family returning with their sh(o/i)pping.