Fadwaan 'Vet' Murphy, serving an 18-year sentence for drug dealing and money laundering, applied for bail pending his appeal. He claimed he would not endanger public safety, but the court heard he was highly likely to keep operating his drug enterprise if released.

The Western Cape High Court has denied the bail application of convicted drug dealer Fadwaan "Vet" Murphy, who is appealing against his conviction and sentence of 18 years' direct imprisonment.

The court found that Murphy was likely to resume his drug dealing and money laundering activities in Lentegeur, causing shock and outrage in the Mitchells Plain community if he was released pending appeal. This was the gist of the decision handed down by acting Judge Diane Davis on Monday, 5 August 2024 in the Western Cape High Court.

Murphy was convicted in July 2023 for drug dealing, money laundering, managing a racketeering enterprise and receiving property derived from racketeering.

Murphy and his ex-wife Shafieka Murphy operated a tik-packaging business dealing in methamphetamine (tik). At the heart of the so-called "Murphy enterprise", was Murphy, his ex-wife and his sister Glenda Bird, who died of cancer in December 2019.

These crimes were committed between July 2013 and September 2015 within the districts of Mitchells Plain, Wynberg, Cape Town, Strand, Worcester and Caledon. When police pounced on his packaging house in September 2015, they seized 9kg of tik and found R1.9-million in cash. Murphy...