Several hundred nabbed during provincial SAPS operations

A total of 890 suspects were arrested for various offences with police seizing crime proceeds such as firearms, motor vehicles and different types of drugs.

Limpopo SAPS spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the weekend operations started on Friday 19 October, until the early hours of Monday 22 October.

The operations were conducted through roadblocks, stop-and-search and patrols.

In the Bela-Bela Cluster, the operations focussed on a number of areas.

A total of 19 suspects were arrested for public drinking, eight illegal immigrants, seven for driving under the influence of alcohol, the possession of dangerous weapons, and non-compliance
with the Liquor Act.

A local tavern was closed down as a direct result of the operation.

A total of 387 people and 27 motor vehicles were searched and 12 liquor outlets were visited, to ensure compliance with the Liquor Act.

Several items were recovered, among them 12 stolen motor vehicles, 14 firearms, 21 rounds of ammunition and two magazines, six TV sets, six cell phones, four laptops and 156 sachets of CAT.

Ngoepe said R15 000 in cash was receovered, and also electrical appliances, clothing, musical equipment, grinders and airtime vouchers.

“The estimated value of the recovered items is about R3 million. The arrested suspects have already started appearing before various magistrate’s courts across the province,” Ngoepe said.

— The BEAT