Police in the West Rand made more than 220 arrests during multidisciplinary operations held from January 6 to January 8 in different areas throughout the district’s policing precincts.
On Saturday, January 7, operations took part in Randfontein which was led by Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela.
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The focus for the operation was mainly to conduct roadblocks, crime prevention, tracing of known and unknown suspects, stop and searches for hijacked and stolen motor vehicles, suspected stolen properties and stock, illegal firearms and ammunition and drugs.
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Liquor outlets and second-hand dealers were also raided to check for compliance inspections.
The 223 suspects in total were arrested for a range of offences including:
• Murder and rape, murder, attempted murder, carjacking and kidnapping, rape and common assault, attempted rape, possession of an unlicensed firearm, being in possession of dagga, theft out of motor vehicle, assault and malicious damage to property, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property under domestic violence, common assault and malicious damage to property, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm under domestic violence, fraud, arson, sexual assault and crimen injuria, common assault and crimen injuria, intimidation under domestic violence, malicious damage to infrastructure, warrant of arrest, possession of counterfeit goods and cigarettes, and possession of ammunition and substance suspected to be drugs (one each)
• possession of dangerous weapons (Eight)
• drunken and driving (20),
• dealing in dagga (two),
• possession of a substance suspected to be drugs (20),
• common violence under domestic violence (three)
• robbery with a weapon other than a firearm (two),
• assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm (21),
• rape (4),
• being in possession of dangerous weapons and drugs (3),
• illegal mining (five),
• four for robbery (four),
• five for possession of suspected stolen property (five),
• two for cable theft (two),
• eleven for theft (11),
• two for attempted theft (two),
• two for malicious damage to property (two),
• two for tampering with essential infrastructure (two),
• two for assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm (two),
• two for pointing of a firearm (two),
• seven for common assault (seven),
• 31 illegal immigrants,
• thirteen for housebreaking and theft (13),
• five for contravening a protection order (five),
• two for sexual assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (two),
• seven for selling liquor without a license (seven),
• four for possession of gold bearing material (four),
Minor offences such as shoplifting, selling indigenous games and loitering, trespassing and money laundering were also policed.
All arrested suspects are expected to have appeared in various magistrate’s courts in the district today (Monday, January 9).
