The police confiscated illicit goods and suspected precious stones worth more than R12m during a raid on warehouse near White River on Friday, March 7.

The multidisciplinary police operation consisted of members from Crime Intelligence, the Organised Crime Unit, the Hawks, the Public Order Policing Unit, the Visible Policing Unit, SARS and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.

According to a provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the operation resulted from a tip-off that was received by the Crime Intelligence Unit. “The officers gathered information about illicit goods that were being stored in various units of this warehouse. The operation was executed after a search warrant for 17 units was obtained,” said Mdhluli. “During the operation various items were found, including suspected precious stones, cosmetic products, food items, fireworks, pills (tablets), hair pieces and others.”

Mdhluli said the confiscated goods would form part of the police investigations.

The storage facility’s owners could not be found at the time of the search and the operation was subsequently conducted in the presence of the security personnel.

Grinders and bolt cutters were used to force open the locked storage units since the keys were not available.

Mdhluli could not immediately comment on when arrests in this matter would be made, but he did say the investigations would give direction in this regard.

Meanwhile, the acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, said more operations like this would follow.

“We will continue to conduct similar operations. We cannot allow lawlessness to prevail under our watch. The suspected precious stones suggest illegal mining is involved, but we have approached the Department of Minerals and Energy Affairs to assist in this regard,” said Mkhwanazi.