Cops clean up city centre during operation

A clean-up operation conducted by Police over the weekend yielded positive results when 14 of 60 suspects were arrested in Polokwane’s city centre and surrounding suburbs.
In total 60 suspects were arrested in the Polokwane, Bela-Bela and Giyani clusters and a variety of illegal items such as firearms and ammunition as well as dagga were recovered.
Provincial Police Spokesperson Moatshe Ngoepe indicated that the suspects arrested in Polokwane were facing charges of, among others, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of and dealing in dagga, public drinking, prostitution, running unlicensed businesses and contraventing the Migration Act. They were expected to appear in the local magistrate’s court earlier this week.
Police confiscated 13,4 kg of dagga and R5 651 in cash during the arrest. Other activities conducted included stop and search operations where 23 vehicles and 158 people were searched.
In Giyani a 21-year-old suspect was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition during a joint operation by members of the Crime Prevention Unit and the Cluster Task Team Unit. Ngoepe indicated that Police members followed up a tip-off from the community about the existence of the firearm in Makhasa village which resulted in an arrest and the weapon being retrieved. The origin of the firearm is still being investigated.
In Bela-Bela an operation in the central business district and surroundings, including the RDP section, was conducted and 33 suspects arrested. They are facing charges of public drinking, illegal gambling and selling liquor without a licence, according to Ngoepe.
Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba commended the members of the operational teams on a job well done.

Story: RC Myburgh
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