Limpopo: Zero-tolerance policing leads to over 1 000 arrests
The police's intelligence-driven joint operations resulted in the arrest of 1 049 suspects which included drug traffickers from Mokopane and Polokwane areas, respectively.
LIMPOPO – Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba once again commended the various police units for the many successes achieved this past week during ongoing clean-up operations in the province. He also thanked the public for assisting the police by providing valuable information which contributed to these milestone achievements.
Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe said the operations, which are part of the police’s zero tolerance approach to criminal activities in the province, were conducted in most policing areas in the province and resulted in the arrest of 1 049 suspects between the ages of 15 and 74. “The simultaneous operations comprised of members derived from several police units and were conducted from 12 April until this morning. The operations resulted in the recovery of six vehicles, 10 firearms, and 40 dangerous weapons.”
He added that police also seized various amounts of counterfeit cigarettes, drugs and illegal liquor and issued a total of 978 fines for the Contravention of the National Road Traffic Act. He listed a few of the successes achieved:
Mopani
In the Gravelotte policing area outside Phalaborwa, the police arrested four(04) suspects, aged between 31 and 74, for possession of pangolin. Ngoepe said the men were arrested at a local petrol station after the police received information from the community about suspects selling a live pangolin.
“The police rescued the pangolin and confiscated two vehicles, belonging to the suspects,” he added.
Meanwhile in the Giyani policing area the police arrested eight men on charges of illegal mining. “The Limpopo Highway Patrol (LHP) members intercepted the men near Xamfana village and managed to recover an assortment of the mining equipment which is believed to be used during illegal mining activity.” All suspects were illegal immigrants.
Sekhukhune
Members of the LHP arrested a 31 year old man after he was found in the possession of chrome worth and estimated R100 000. Ngoepe explained that the members stopped the truck driver along the R37 road in in the Apel Policing area. “He was found to be transporting suspected stolen chrome in a horse and trailer and when he failed to produce the necessary documents of being in possession and transporting the chrome, he was arrested.”
Waterberg
In the Mahwelereng policing area, the police arrested a 41-year-old woman for dealing and possession of drugs. “She was arrested near Mokopane after she was found in the possession of 10 sachets of dagga, three matchboxes of dagga and a plastic bag with loose ragga.”
Capricorn
In another drug related incident, the LHP arrested two suspects in the Polokwane CBD, along Paul Kruger Street. The men were found in the possession of eight sachets of crystal meth drugs and two sachets of Cat drugs and were arrested on the spot.
Meanwhile in a separate operation the police in Westenburg arrested five suspects on charges of theft out of motor vehicle and possession of suspected stolen properties. Their arrest comes shortly after a South African Social Security Agency (Sasa) employee reported an incident of theft out of a motor vehicle. “During the arrest the police recovered two laptops with chargers an bags, two gate remote controls and several other accessories belonging to Sassa.”
All the arrested suspects are expected to appear in the relevant magistrate’s court soon.
