Fifteen shops were shut down during a crime prevention operation on West Street in Kempton Park CBD on Tuesday last week.
The raid, led by the metro, also saw the arrest of one suspect on charges of possession of suspected stolen goods.
“This was part of the metro’s programme to deal with crime in identified hot spots for criminal activities,” said Themba Radebe, the metro’s spokesperson.
“Kempton Park is one of the key areas of focus because of the strategic position of OR Tambo International Airport.”
The operation, which included SARS, SAPS and EMPD, pulled out all the stops to shut down shops that were not complying with the metro’s trading by-laws and issued summonses to those that were contravening the Second-Hand Goods Act.
While shops were being closed, goods were also confiscated.
“We confiscated goods because they were in contravention with and non-compliant with the Second-Hand Goods Act and in other cases there were no business licences,” said the head of visible policing at Kempton Park Police Station, Col Steven Moodley.
“This is a multi-integrated operation working together with other forces and units, which include equestrian and K9 units of the EMPD, liquor board, Southern African Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT) and Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).”
The arrest of the one suspect came after members of the EMPD’s K9 unit searched the shop where he worked and found two brand-new smartphones, believed to be suspected stolen goods, inside a hidden black plastic bag.
“Eight notices were issued to shops that were not complying with city planning by-laws and five notices were issued to businesses that were contravening health by-laws,” said Gadebe.
