A 31-YEAR-OLD man was arrested on Friday in Nellmapius, Tshwane for dealing in drugs.

He was arrested during Operation Legadima, which means thunder. The operation is run by the Silverton police, railway police and Pretoria Central cluster at weekends.

The man was arrested after police found drugs on one of four boys sitting at a stall.

The boy, who was found with the drugs, told the police he was selling for someone else and he led them to the man’s house in extension 6 Nellmapius.

Silverton police spokesman Captain Jan Sepato said the man ran a spaza shop to disguise his drug dealing.

“We found the drug dealer relaxed at his house. We searched the house and found many drugs. I think he ran a spaza shop from his house to fool people into thinking he was running an honest business.”

“We found a big hole full of drugs under a carpet and some more hidden in the ceiling,” Sepato said.

Fake R100 notes, Tik with the street value of R50 000 and dagga worth about R30 000 were found on the man’s premises.

Sepato said apart from selling drugs, the man was also robbing musicians of their money.

“The man was also selling pirated music CDs and pornography. Artists get nothing out of their hard work ­because of people like this,” he said.

Sepato said operation Legadima aims to rid the streets of criminals and drugs.

“Operation Legadima will strike anyone who commits crime or deals in drugs. It will find criminals wherever they are hiding and their stash wherever they have hidden it,” he said.