Hawks conduct busts worth R1bn in first quarter

Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) head Lieutenant-General advocate Godfrey Lebeya said at the weekend that in the first quarter of the 2024-2025 financial year, the unit dealt with 18 461 cases, involving 752 712 charges and more than R1 billion.

Among the cases, 5 616 involved 11 972 people appearing before courts, with 1 788 cases receiving the attention of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to decide on prosecution.

Hawks makes dent in crime

“The Hawks have made significant inroads in apprehending individuals involved in high-profile cases.

“These arrests targeted people involved in serious corruption, fraud, money laundering, police killings, cash-in-transit robberies, illegal mining, damage to essential infrastructure and crimes against the state.

“A total of 673 people, reflecting natural persons and 36 juristic persons, were secured before the various courts in the country.

“Of these natural persons, 489, which is 77%, are South Africans, while 148, which is 23%, are foreign nationals,” said Lebeya.

Lebeya said most of the arrests, 167, were made in Gauteng, with 114 in KwaZulu-Natal and 92 in the North West, 57 in Mpumalanga and 56 in the Eastern Cape.

“During these arrests, 68 firearms and 1 797 rounds of ammunition were seized.

“Three clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled in Gauteng, valued at over R16 million.

“During this same period, the directorate secured convictions on 506 accused.

“Of these convictions, 262 accused persons were sentenced while the balance of 244 convicts are to be sentenced on dates after the quarter under review.

“Among the 262 who were sentenced, 173 were South Africans while 77 were foreign nationals.

“Topping the list of sentenced foreign nationals were 27 Zimbabweans, followed by 14 Basotho and 10 Mozambicans,” said Lebeya.

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Attacks on police officers

He described attacks on police officers as “undermining the authority of the state”.

“The Hawks shall continue to effectively respond to these crimes.

“Twenty-one members were killed in the first quarter of 2024- 2025. “Sixteen of those were killed while off duty. Eighteen arrests were made.”

Referring to cash-in-transit (CIT) attacks, he said: “Criminals who bomb armoured cash vehicles are ruthless and do not value the lives of others.

“Fifty-five cases were reported on CIT related crimes for the reporting period.

“Thirty-four suspects were arrested.”

Drug seizures worth R32 million

On illegal drugs, Lebeya said the Hawks conducted focused operations, “which resulted in drug seizures estimated at over R32 million.

“A total number of 64 suspects involved in narcotics were arrested in the first quarter of the 2024- 2025 financial year, while 25 accused persons were sentenced for drug offences.

“The South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau section within the component for Serious Organised Crime dismantled three clandestine drug laboratories in Gauteng during the period under review.

“Twelve suspects were arrested for the manufacturing of illicit drugs worth over R16 million.

“Through collaboration with its Interpol partners, the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau section prevented drugs worth over R26 million from being proliferated onto the market,” Lebeya added.

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