A 31-year-old Limpopo lawyer was released on warning on Tuesday afternoon after he was arrested earlier on the day for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs including nyaope and dagga to detainees in the police holding cells in Mahwelereng.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the lawyer from an unnamed law firm in the Mokopane  area, allegedly arrived at the police station at 11am to consult one of the inmates who was due to appear in court. The lawyer cannot be named as he is yet to plead.

“A police officer working in the cells became suspicious of the bag the lawyer was carrying and called her male colleague to come and search it. The watchful policewoman apparently noticed every movement that the suspect was making and when her colleague arrived and conducted the search, a cellphone, dagga and sachets of nyaope were found in his possession, packaged in a plastic bag,” Mojapelo said.

He said the suspect appeared in the Mokerong magistrate‘s court for possession of drugs.

He was released on warning and his case was postponed to November 27 for further police investigations.

Provincial police commissioner Lieut-Gen Nneke Ledwaba welcomed the lawyer’s arrest and applauded the policewoman for "a job well done".

“The vigilance and alertness of the policewoman on duty at the time the suspect attempted to smuggle drugs into our police cells is commendable and must be sustained at all detention facilities,” said Ledwaba.