Police on Saturday discovered drugs worth an estimated R4.5 million during a search of a suspicious car travelling on Robert Sobukwe Road in Cape Town.

Police members attached to the Flying Squad were performing crime combatting patrols in the area of Belhar and Ravensmead in the Western Cape when they responded to intelligence and spotted a suspicious vehicle travelling on Robert Sobukwe Road.

The members gave chase and pulled the car off the road.

"Upon inspecting the vehicle, the members discovered two bags wrapped in bubble wrap and a sealed box for which the driver could not give account for.

"As a result, the driver and vehicle were escorted to Ravensmead SAPS where a thorough search of the car and packages were conducted during which it was established that the packages contained 38 plastic bags with 1000 mandrax tablets each as well as 30 plastic bags with uncut cocaine with an estimated value of R4.5 million," said the police.

The suspect, aged 44, was arrested for dealing in drugs and detained pending further investigation.

"This bust is testimony of the huge inroads we are making in our fight against the illicit drug trade in the Western Cape in an effort to safeguard our communities, especially within gang ridden hotspots," the police said in a statement.