Police in Mbombela on Tuesday arrested three men in possession of drugs with an estimated street value of a staggering R60m.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Mtsholi Bhembe, three men aged between 27 and 35 were arrested at about 07:30 on the N4 national road, at Kaapmuiden, for possession of and dealing in drugs.

"Police received information about two Toyota Prados with Mozambican registration numbers that were travelling along that route carrying a massive consignment, believed to be heroin," Bhembe said in a statement.

"The vehicles fitting that description were spotted and intercepted whereupon one of them attempted to flee, but was no match for the police. Upon being searched, drugs were found stashed on the spare wheels of the vehicles."

According to Bhembe, at a roadblock held during the launch of Operation Easter Safety Campaign last month, another package of heroin worth around R2.5m was confiscated, also along the N4 on the outskirts of Mbombela.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, the heroin was found stashed in a black plastic container and one of the officials working during the roadblock discovered it in the shrubs alongside the road, News24 reported.

"It is further suspected the heroin may have been thrown by one of the passengers who feared being caught by law enforcers at the roadblock. Furthermore, the police discovered a bag that contained a considerable amount of marijuana in a luxury bus which was on its way to Gauteng and it was reportedly from Mozambique," Hlathi said.

The acting provincial commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Major General Frans Mashika, congratulated members of the community as well as the police for a job well done, Bhembe said.