Police clamp down on illegal mining
Last week special operations were conducted in pursuit of illegal miners in and around the Brakpan area.
Over the past two weeks members of the EMPD Equestrian Unit have been patrolling the areas notorious for illegal mining activities and have made several successful arrests.
Explosives, detonators and equipment used in illegal mining were also confiscated.
On Tuesday, July 28, several items were confiscated and two suspects were nabbed in two separate illegal mining spots in Dalpark 1. At the first location the suspects managed to evade arrest but the metro police confiscated their mining equipment which included sifting buckets and water pipes. It also emerged that the culprits were illegally tapping water from council water pipes.
At the second location, hidden under a wet blanket, police found unrefined gold still mixed with soil particles. Police arrested two suspects and seized picks, spades and buckets.
Two more suspects were apprehended in Dalpark 1 on Wednesday, July 29, and police confiscated two water pumps, water pipes, picks and shovels.
On July 30, in an operation which started around 9am and finished at 6pm, two more illegal miners found themselves on the wrong side of the law when they were arrested near Location Road. Police found a plethora of equipment and explosives. A SAPS vehicle and three EMPD bakkies were used to transport all the seized equipment to the Brakpan police station. Bottles filled with gold dust and Isuzu LDV were also confiscated.
The Herald reported last week (Illegal mining spot monitored) that EMPD Equestrian Unit members arrested an illegal miner in Dalpark on July 23. The man was caught red-handed busy digging into the ground.
Four suspects escaped arrest on July 22 when they spotted the approaching metro police. The men managed to run away and disappeared into old shafts. In both cases several implements were confiscated. Two bottles filled with gold dust were also found.
All the arrested miners were taken to the Brakpan Police Station and charged with illegal mining whilst their equipment was also booked.
Spokesperson for the EMPD, Wilfred Kgasago said that patrols in all the locations identified as illegal mining hotspots will continue until illegal mining seizes.
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Equestrian Unit clamps down on illegal miners
