BLOEMFONTEIN – Seven suspects aged between 23 and 50 were arrested for tampering, damaging or destroying essential infrastructure in the Mangaung Metro.

Operators attached to the Public Order Police Unit Bloemfontein received a tip-off from community members about criminal activities taking place in Freedom Square West. Information was given that a group of males travelling in a white Mitsubishi motor vehicle were cutting cables and packaging them for sale. The members patrolled the area and the vehicle was intercepted.

A search was conducted, and a digital sale receipt that was printed at NFS Scrap Metal Traders (PTY) Ltd and R10 400 were found in the Mitsubishi. The team conducted further investigation and visited the scrapyard dealership. Copper cables sold by the seven suspects were pointed out. The manager of the dealership was issued a fine for failure to report suspicious goods, and a case of tampering, damaging and destroying of essential infrastructure and possession of suspected stolen copper cables was opened. The recovered copper cables were booked at Heidedal Police Station.

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A crime intelligence-driven sweep operation was also conducted as part of Operation Shanela II by Public Order Police Unit Bloemfontein operators at identified drug posts. A 27-year-old female who was in possession of 16 small zip-lock plastic bags containing suspected crystal meth, five halves and six quarters of Mandrax tablets in Chris Hani, was arrested. Another suspect was found in possession of 14 small zip-lock containers with crystal meth, one half and 11 full Mandrax tablets.

The operation continued, and at the corner of Dewetsdorp Road and Rice Street, operators arrested a 34-year-old male in possession of 22 full Mandrax tablets, 12 medium-sized zip-lock containers with crystal meth, and one medium-sized knot of crystal meth. Another identified address was visited in Bloemspruit Phase 6 and the police arrested a 34-year-old suspect in possession of 22 zip-lock bags containing crystal meth and one medium-sized plastic of crystal meth weighing 10 grams. Case dockets of possession and dealing in drugs were opened at Kopanong and Sonskyn Police Stations.

Crime Combating Unit members attached to Mangaung Metro Operational Command Centre also arrested an 18-year-old suspect for business burglary. The team was mobilised to attend to a burglary-in-progress complaint in Boithuso policing precinct. A description was given out of a red Volkswagen Polo with Gauteng number plates.

The police drove to a pick-up point where the suspects were waiting, but the presence of the police was detected early. Suspects fired shots at the police and fled on foot. The suspect was interrogated and police ascertained that there was a syndicate operating from Welkom. It seems the syndicate travelled to different towns in the Free State and robbed businesses owned by foreign nationals. The suspect was detained, and the red Polo was seized.

In a separate incident, the Mangaung Metro CCU team arrested two suspects aged 33 and 39 at N8 Park in Boithuso for possession of presumably stolen property and contravention of the Immigration Act. The police received information that the suspects robbed a number of foreign nationals’ businesses. Groceries to the value of R32 000 were recovered.

The CCU team also conducted an intelligence-driven operation where three suspects were arrested in a blitz. Members arrived at an identified drug post in C2-Section and conducted a search. Thirteen transparent one-litre zip-lock plastics containing dried dagga leaves, 10 medium-sized bags with dagga, 28 rolled dagga zols, 500 ml lid containing dagga, and a refuse bag containing loose dagga was seized and the 33-year-old male arrested for dealing in dagga. The seized dagga street value is estimated at R14 000. At another address a 20-year-old male was arrested for possession of three medium-sized containers of methcathinone. Another suspect, a 19-year-old male, was arrested for possession of four medium-sized plastics containing CAT.

Bloemspruit Visible Policing Unit members arrested a 36-year-old male for possession of presumably stolen livestock and stock theft.

Neighbours in Bloemspruit Phase 7 heard animal noises from the shack behind a house. The community members alerted the police who attended to the complaint. Livestock in the form of seven sheep, three lambs and two goats were found locked inside the shack. Local Criminal Records Centre experts and Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit members were also summoned to the scene. A case docket was opened at Bloemspruit Police Station, and the 36-year-old suspect was detained in police custody.

Operation Shanela II actions continue in all five districts of Free State Province.