The recently launched Operation Back to Basics: Safer Festive Season, conducted throughout the province managed to net a massive number of suspects as well as confiscating illicit items.
Here in eMalahleni 99 people saw the other side of the bars.
The focus from November 21 to November 28 was illegal immigrants. Thirty three were put behind bars after they failed to produce their passports and papers allowing them in the country.
Together with the community policing forum (CPF), security, the Emalahleni law enforcement unit and traffic department, four suspects were arrested for shoplifting, and 19 for general theft. Nine suspects were arrested for assault, five for fraud, and one for possession of an unlicensed firearm, 12 for possession of drugs, four for house breakings and theft and three for interfering with police officers doing their duties.
Be careful not to take that one last drink. Nine drivers were also arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
This operation which was recently rolled out nationally from this province, at KwaMhlanga by the acting national commissioner of the SAPS, Lt Gen Kgomotso Phahlane, sees all stations with all the various units including other departments and agencies within the security cluster come together to fight crime. Among these operations, is the provincially-led high density intelligence-driven operation: Operation Thunderstorm.
Under this operation’s wing 692 suspects were arrested between November 24 and 27. This figure includes wanted suspects as well as those arrested inter-alia, for murder, rape, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), robberies, possession of stolen property, illegal firearms and ammunition, burglary, possession of narcotic drugs, liquor related crimes as well as wanted suspects.
The teams further recovered four vehicles and confiscated two more that were used in the commission of crime, 11 firearms, ammunition, 413 552ml of liquor, 223 800g of copper, 6 691 221g of dagga as well as 40 plants thereof. They further issued a total of 294 fines for violation of the Road Traffic Act as well as the Liquor Act. The members also closed down six liquor outlets which were not in compliance with the Liquor Act and operating without licenses.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Mondli Zuma and his management commends all the role-players for their effort in creating a safe and secure Mpumalanga before, during and beyond the festive season.
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