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South African Police Warn of Drink-Spiking Syndicates Targeting Nightlife Patrons

Police describe coordinated groups using young women to lure patrons, urging group safety during New Year festivities.

Overview

  • SAPS reports cases in provinces including Gauteng and the North West where men who left venues with women were later robbed or, in some instances, killed.
  • Police outline a modus operandi in which young women identify targets inside clubs and taverns while accomplices monitor nearby and move in after a drink is spiked.
  • Victims are stripped of valuables such as vehicles, cellphones and cash, and some men have died from suspected overdoses of substances used in the spiking.
  • Women are also being drugged and attacked, with cases reported of victims found raped, assaulted or dead after visiting taverns, nightclubs and other leisure venues.
  • Authorities advise going out with trusted groups, sharing plans and locations, never leaving drinks unattended, limiting alcohol and arranging safe transport, and they are probing a viral video of children drinking with a search for parents or guardians underway.