Three suspects were arrested for the possession of 3 000 Mandrax tablets during a Okae Molao operation, which police in the West Rand District held in Westonaria and Bekkersdal.

Also read: Drunken driving, assault top list of 161 arrests made in District

According to Gauteng Provincial Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello, the suspects were arrested along with 208 other on Thursday January 13 for various offences including murder, possession of unlicensed firearms, masquerading as police officers, and possession of stolen property.

During the operation, the police managed to shut down an illegal gold refinery on a plot near Randfontein and arrested one suspect. Officers also pounced on three suspects at a chop shop in Westonaria, and recovered parts of a stolen motor vehicle, which were used to rebuild cars that had been written off,” Colonel Sello said.

The operation included roadblocks, stops-and-searches, tracing wanted suspects, and doing compliance inspections at second-hand goods dealers and liquor outlets. All those arrested have appeared in the respective magistrates’ courts.