KINROSS – Illegal panel beating shops and vendors in Kinross were bombarded with police officials on Thursday, 18 October.
Municipal representatives and the traffic department were present to check business licenses and to ensure that suspicious vehicles would be stopped and searched respectively.
The aim for the raid was to combat the issues faced by the community and the ongoing complaints received.
During the raid, shops that were operating without business licenses, selling expired goods and selling counterfeit goods, were closed down.
Complaints from residents included:
* The increase in panel beating shops operating on pavements;
* Businesses selling expired goods and;
* Increase in house break-ins.
The raid began at the Thistle Grove Park, where the building meant for security and toilets, was being illegally occupied by unknown persons.
The persons occupying the building, were not present at the time of the raid. The police cleared out all the household items found in the building and proceeded to destroy the items.
It was alleged at the time that the items were stolen goods and the persons responsible for the increase in house break-in’s in the area were occupying the building.
After clearing out the area, police proceeded to the town to raid illegal businesses.
The police closed down two panel beating shops that did not possess business licenses and had illegal immigrants working there.
The cars parked on the pavements were put back into the buildings and the illegal immigrants were taken into custody after failing to produce their passports.
Ten other shops were closed down for the same reasons, and some shop owners who saw the police coming, closed their shops and fled. Hawkers selling counterfeit goods had also fled after seeing the police. The goods were confiscated by the police.
SAPS Kinross proceeded to Afghanistan, Extension 25, where businesses were closed for operating from residential premises and did not possess competency to prepare food to sell.
