{"id":264331,"date":"2025-06-20T14:18:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/?p=264331"},"modified":"2025-06-23T11:54:55","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T09:54:55","slug":"multi-disciplinary-vala-umgodi-operation-yields-multiple-arrests-and-seizures-in-theunissen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/multi-disciplinary-vala-umgodi-operation-yields-multiple-arrests-and-seizures-in-theunissen\/","title":{"rendered":"Vala uMgodi nets five in mining raid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The multi-disciplinary \u201cVala uMgodi\u201d operation, aimed at combating illegal mining activities and associated crimes took place outside of Theunissen on 18 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe team discovered a large resting or sleeping place utilized by illegal miners. Two males found at the location were arrested and food and items associated with illegal mining activities were seized,\u201d says Sgt. Mahlomola Kareli, Free State Provincial Corporate Communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-attachment-id=\"264335\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/multi-disciplinary-vala-umgodi-operation-yields-multiple-arrests-and-seizures-in-theunissen\/vala-4-5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1441\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Vala 4\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1-1024x576.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-264335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-4-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Contraband that was confiscated during the Vala uMgodi raid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The day before the team had arrested three males, aged 45 and 32, after they were found in possession of gold-bearing material in the mine premises in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese operations emphasize the commitment to ensuring the safety and security of mining communities and protecting national resources. Further investigations are underway in all these cases, and more arrests are not ruled out,\u201d says Kareli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"264435\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/multi-disciplinary-vala-umgodi-operation-yields-multiple-arrests-and-seizures-in-theunissen\/vala-1-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"960,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Vala 1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2-768x1024.jpg\" data-id=\"264435\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-264435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Vala-1-2.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Three males were arrested during Opertation Vala uMgodi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The multi-disciplinary \u201cVala uMgodi\u201d operation, aimed at combating illegal mining activities and associated crimes took place outside of Theunissen on 18 June. \u201cThe team discovered a large resting or sleeping [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":264332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"60","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"2","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"7970","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":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This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Vala uMgodi nets five in mining raid | Vista<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/multi-disciplinary-vala-umgodi-operation-yields-multiple-arrests-and-seizures-in-theunissen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vala uMgodi nets five in mining raid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The multi-disciplinary \u201cVala uMgodi\u201d operation, aimed at combating illegal mining activities and associated crimes took place outside of Theunissen on 18 June. \u201cThe team discovered a large resting or sleeping [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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