Thirteen arrested in separate operations as Lim police crackdown on criminals
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service Major General Jan Scheepers has complimented the exceptional service rendered by the operational members during the Groblesbrug Port of Entry and the Groblesdal Cluster operations.
LIMPOPO -13 suspects in total were arrested for offences ranging from possession and smuggling of copper cables to illegally issuing ID smart cards during a joint-intelligence driven operation conducted in the Groblersdal cluster and at the Groblerbrug Port of Entry since the weekend.
“These milestone achievements came as police intensified their efforts to make ensure that crime is rooted out in the province especially the trio crimes and crimes affecting the border lines,” said Col Moatshe Ngeope, Spokesperson for the Police.
During these separate operations several items including copper wires and a motor vehicles were confiscated. Here are some of the operation successes:
On 5 February, the police in the Groblersbrug Port of Entry under the Tom Burke policing area outside Lephalale arrested a 40-year-old for copper scrap metal smuggling.
“It is alleged that the driver had just crossed the border from Botswana into South Africa when he was directed to the searching bay for inspection. The police searched inside the truck, copper scrap metal with the estimated street value of R54 000 was recovered concealed inside the trailer. He faces charges of possession and smuggling of copper cables,” Ngoepe added.
ON 6 February, four suspects (aged between 23 and 42) were arrested in connection with an armed robbery committed a day before, at Ga-Moloi village in the Nebo policing area outside Groblesdal.
“During the incident a driver of a beverage company and his assistants were preparing to off-load the stock at a local store when a group of armed suspects attacked them and robbed them of an undisclosed amount of money. The Police were immediately notified, a joint intelligence-driven operation was activated and the six suspects, driving two vehicles, were cornered at Jane Furse area outside Lebowakgomo. During the confrontation, four were arrested and the remaining two retaliated, resulting in a crossfire between them and the police. The two fled in one of the vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and second vehicle was confiscated.”
Meanwhile on 6 February in the Marble Hall Policing area the police responded to a tip-off from residents about a group of foreigners applying for ID smart cards at an RDP house around Leewfontein.
“ON the scene the members found a woman and her accomplice completing application forms for their alleged clients. The pair, aged 33 and 62 , were immediately arrested for fraud and six others were arrested for contravention of the Immigration Act as they were found to be in the Country illegally.”
All the arrested suspects, aged between 22 and 46, have started appearing before the various magistrate courts in the province, Ngoepe concluded.
