Police launch massive crime fighting operation
Roodepoort police conducted a massive multidisciplinary crime prevention operation on Wednesday night.
Police in Roodepoort are pushing hard to stay on top of crime in the region.
This was evident on Wednesday night, October 16, when Roodepoort police, with officers from various other police stations and specialised units, launched yet another all-encompassing crime prevention operation targeting, among other things, Sol Plaatjie, Matholesville and the Roodepoort CBD.
The operation featured a large contingent of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers, JMPD officers, and CPF members.
The more than 160-strong force took to the streets of Roodepoort in about 60 vehicles, including two large SANDF personnel carriers. They moved to their first destination, Albertina Sisulu Road near Cresswell Park, where a massive roadblock was set up, pulling over vehicles travelling in both directions to and from Roodepoort.
Police, JMPD officers, and SANDF soldiers manning the roadblock thoroughly searched every passing vehicle, checking licenses and license disks. At the same time, a second contingent drove further to Sol Plaatjie, an area notorious for illegal mining activities and a high rate of house robberies.
Police and soldiers visited numerous known hotspots, searched shacks, and managed to arrest several illegal aliens and confiscate mining equipment including pendukas, gas bottles used for smelting, and small bottles of highly poisonous Mercury, before setting off to another hotspot – Matholesville.
Searches were carried out at many premises for which police had specifically obtained warrants, as these are known illegal mining operations.
Upon arrival in Matholesville, law enforcement and soldiers quickly deployed, once again to pre-identified premises, resulting once again in the confiscation of illegal mining equipment and the arrest of several illegal aliens.
A taxi was pulled over during the operation and was found to contain two large bags filled to the brim with copper wire suspected to be stolen from mini-substations.
According to Colonel Clive de Freitas who led the operation, vandalism and theft of infrastructure is one of the focus points for Roodepoort police.
The procession from Matholesville to Roodepoort CBD involved police confronting public drinkers, visiting watering holes, ensuring compliance with regulations, and closing doors by 02:00 as required by law.
“We knew it would be relatively quiet. That said, I think the operation was highly successful. We accomplished what we set out to do, which was hit the identified premises when they least expected it and clamp down on illegal activity in all the different areas we targeted,” De Freitas said.
In addition to arresting illegal aliens and confiscating illegal mining equipment, the operation also resulted in the recovery of an illegal 9mm pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition.
