Millions worth of assets seized from drug trafficking family One of the houses that will be auctioned. One of the houses that will be auctioned. Forfeiture unit seize alleged drug kingpin couples’ assets. 16 May 2013 | Devina Haripersad The Hawks recently seized assets in Springfield and Newlands to the value of R3.3million after the couples who lived there, were charged with drug trafficking last year. The 3 couples, both the Goundens and the Govenders, were paid an unexpected visit by the hawks at their homes in Springfield and Newlands, early on Monday morning. According to members of the community in Springfield, the couples, Magen and Niran Gounden, Menogran and Dhavarani Govender as well as Daya and Surathabal Gouden, who were believed to all be related, had lived under the social radars for a number of years before they suddenly seemed to have amassed wealth overnight. Above: The road where the couple lived. A credible source who spoke to the media under the grounds of anonymity said that the family was considered the ‘quiet neighbours’ who kept to themselves. “We knew the one guy as ‘Cliffie’ and he and his family lived in ordinary cottage homes that were common to these areas in Nerina Place and in Protea Road. We knew of them but we never really made their actual acquaintance. Then, just like that, a few years back, they started renovating their homes. But it was not just ordinary renovations. They added massive and elaborate extensions, making their houses the biggest and the best in the area. After a while we started seeing a number of expensive cars that would pull into their driveway. Top of the range Mercedes and BMWs as well a white Porche. That was the real show-stopper, Cliffie’s Porche. Everyone would stop and turn to watch as it would drive by. At the time, we thought that their family business, a logistics company, had been doing very well. Then about three years ago, we heard that they were bust for drugs,” he said. The couples were arrested in 2010 on charges of alleged drug trafficking as well as the running of a drug manufacturing lab in a rural area in the North Coast and Isipingo. According to police reports, the couples were placed under intensive surveillance for a number of months, before they were eventually arrested. At the time of the arrest, approximately 185,000 Mandrax tablets were also found. Spokesperson for the Hawks, Cpt Paul Ramaloko, said that it was believed that the flashy assets belonging to the Goundens and Govenders were acquired via the income they had made on the alleged drug trade. “We were therefore given the go-ahead to seize property to the value of R3.3million,” he added. Members of the Hawks swooped in early on Monday morning at the couples homes’ in Springfield and Newlands, but were unable to locate the cars. They were informed that the BMW and the Porche had been involved in two separate accidents. The other vehicles were also not on the property. The house on Nerina Place, however, which was valued at 1.5million, was seized, together with a farm in Tongaat and one other property. “Despite the vehicles not being present, we were still able to seize assets to the above mentioned value. We hope this serves as a reference to other criminals who have acquired their wealth through drug trafficking. Your assets will attached, “added Cpt Ramaloko.