Gauteng police make multiple arrests in drugs, crime and firearm operation.

Possession of drugs
From October 29 to November 4, members of the Benoni Flying Squad (BFS) arrested four suspects on charges of possession of drugs with the intent to sell. Arrests were made in Kempton Park, and mandrax and meth were seized.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on the R555, Etwatwa, on October 3 after being found in possession of 18 bags of dagga, with an estimated value of R50 000. The suspect, along with another man, was seen offloading the bags into nearby bushes. Patrolling BFS members approached the scene, resulting in one suspect fleeing.

Illicit cigarettes
A 35-year-old foreign national was arrested at a spaza shop in Birchleigh on October 4. He was found in possession of 12 cartons of illicit cigarettes.

Police Emergency Services (PEC)
From September 26 to October 2, the Police Emergency Services (PEC), including the Flying Squad, K9 Units and Highway Patrol, arrested 104 suspects across Gauteng.

The operation resulted in:
• Forty-two arrests for serious crimes, including assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of suspected stolen property, driving under the influence of alcohol, theft, contempt of court, contravention of the Immigration Act, armed robbery, perjury, fraud, kidnapping, possession of a dangerous weapon, housebreaking, robbery, hijacking, use of a vehicle without the owner’s consent, crimen injuria, contravention of the Medical Act, attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving and house robbery.

• Recovery of 38 hijacked and stolen vehicles. Nine arrests were made on charges of possession of these vehicles.

• Three suspects were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms, and three weapons were seized.

• 50 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs with the intent to sell. Recovered drugs included heroin, dagga, meth, cocaine and Mandrax.

SAPS Water Police and Diving Services (WPDS)
From September 29 to 30, officers attached to the SAPS Gauteng WPDS assisted with the recovery of murder victims.

Tshwane WPDS officers were called to a river in Soshanguve where a body was found floating. It was later established that the victim may have been murdered.

On September 30, Ekurhuleni WPDS members assisted the SAPS K9 Search and Rescue Unit with the recovery of a body from an abandoned mineshaft in the Jerusalema informal settlement, Boksburg. The body was recovered from a depth of 15m.

Information supplied by BFS, PEC and WPDS spokesperson, Warrant Officer Grant Giblin.