{"id":46970,"date":"2024-10-07T12:24:04","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T10:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/welkom-police-thwart-gold-processing-activities-20241007\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T15:16:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T13:16:56","slug":"welkom-police-thwart-gold-processing-activities-20241007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/welkom-police-thwart-gold-processing-activities-20241007\/","title":{"rendered":"Welkom police thwart gold processing activities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Seven suspects were caught red-handed washing gold-bearing sand on Saturday, 5 October, in Thabong, Welkom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the day, Operation Vala uMgodi operators executed various sweep operational concepts through flash points in Thabong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"left\" id=\"embed_7a536bef\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/12185\/496f184bab3b4f88812ab1d3af2f726d.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/6a8a87f1a235442a86cd4036133a126d.jpg\" title=\"This gold-bearing material was seized during an Operation Vala uMgodi police action inThabong on Saturday, 5 October.Photo: SAPS\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">This gold-bearing material was seized during an Operation Vala uMgodi police action inThabong on Saturday, 5 October.Photo: SAPS<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At about 13:15, the team pounced on the suspects who were busy washing gold ore from gold-bearing <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gold-bearing material weighing at 40.02 kg, one self-made phenduka, a phenduka stand and seven metal balls that are thrown inside the phenduka to facilitate the separation process, were seized by the police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"left\" id=\"embed_fa880170\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/12185\/84989c7d5165404b93f252ef99c11e3a.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cd96167024454a779133d995119636be.jpg\" title=\"This self-made phenduka was seized at Moeletsi Hostel in Thabong on Saturday, 5 October.  Photo: SAPS\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">This self-made phenduka was seized at Moeletsi Hostel in Thabong on Saturday, 5 October.  Photo: SAPS<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA case docket for possession of suspected gold-bearing material and gold processing equipment, with an additional charge of contravention of the Immigration Act, was opened at the Thabong Police Station,| said Lt Col Thabo Covane, provincial police spokesperson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seven suspects were caught red-handed washing gold-bearing sand on Saturday, 5 October, in Thabong, 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