To reclaim communities from criminals, was the main purpose of the inter-provincial operation executed by members of the South African Police Service.
This cross-border operation was executed in the Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State, said Sgt Timothy Sam in a media statement.
Northern Cape’s Brig. Hennie van Rensburg was the operational commander of this week-long operation from Monday, 27 March, until Friday, 31 March.
Van Rensburg was supported by the respective provincial heads of the Provincial Operational Command Centres, namely Brig. Ibel Khuto from the Free State, Brig. Penny Pillay from the Eastern Cape and Brig. Siphiwo Sithonga from the Western Cape.
The focus was on the following key actions:
- non-ferrous metal theft and essential infrastructure being transported across provinces to major offset points and distribution centres such a Kimberley, Gqeberha and Mosselbay;
- movement and transportation of drugs across provincial borders;
- trafficking of prohibited and protected fauna and flora;
- transportation of illicit batteries, metals and other contrabands by bus companies; and
- stolen vehicle engines and parts concealed in cargo trucks.
Police actions included tracing operations by detectives who secured various arrests of wanted suspects and offenders.
A total of 625 suspects across the four provinces were arrested for an array of crimes such as robbery, assault, property related crimes, malicious damage to property, possession of suspected stolen property, theft and drug related crimes.
A total of 32 undocumented immigrants were nabbed for contravening the Immigration Act, and their cases were processed by officials from the Department of Home Affairs. The SAPS also came down hard on persons aiding and abbeting undocumented persons.
Drugs valued at than R995 980 were confiscated, including mandrax, dagga, khat and tik.
Cash amounting to R5 956 that is believed to be the proceeds of crime was seized.
A truck valued at R350 000 was confiscated in Aliwal North for the transportation of illicit cigarettes valued at more than R10 million, and an enquiry docket was registered for further investigation.
In total, 37 roadblocks and 117 vehicle checkpoints were conducted on national and secondary roads during which 9 393 vehicles were stopped and searched, and 12 881 persons were also searched.
A total of 915 trucks and 37 busses crossing the provincial borders were searched and the baggage of 4 407 passengers was checked and scanned.
Some of the other successes include:
- discovery of Conophytum plants at a roadblock at the West Coast;
- Tik of almost R300 000 were confiscated at a roadblock at the Tsitsikama tollplaza on the N2;
- bundles of khat valued more than R320 000 were intercepted at the Verkeerdevlei tollplaza on the N1 in the Free State;
- a substantial amount of dagga was found in Kimberley, as well as in Rawsonville next to the N1 in the Western Cape;
- numerous illegal dealing at liquor outlets and closure of taverns and shebeens in Kwanonqaba, Mosselbay, took place;
- a total of 2 206 litres of alcohol was seized during compliance inspections at liquor outlets and 14 shebeens were closed in conjunction with the Provincial Liquor Boards;
- Fines amounting to R465 875 were issued, as well as compliance inspections at different establishments, harbours, fisheries, pharmacies, liquor outlets, second-hand goods shops, scrapyards, and more that resulted in R624 195 of non-compliance fines being issued to the businesses.
The provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lt. Gen. Koliswa Otola, commended all law enforcement agencies and stakeholders who participated in the successful execution of the operations conducted simultaneously during this period in all provinces.
