1 597 suspects arrested since beginning of festive period

LIMPOPO – 1 597 suspects were arrested for various offences during the Joint Festive Season Operations since the beginning of festive season period, says the police.

The intelligence driven operations were conducted by various police units from the provincial, cluster and station levels and other role players such as both the Provincial and Municipal Traffic Department and the Deptartment of Home Affairs,etc.

According to police spokesperson, LT. Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, these operations included 24-hour roadblocks, stop-and-search operations, raiding of illegal liquor outlets and crime hot-spots,  increased police visibility in shopping malls and central business districts and all border posts.

“1 597 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from: murder, housebreaking and theft, house robbery, rape, theft, fraud, public drinking, contravention of road traffic act to possession of dagga and drugs ,stolen motor vehicles and unlicensed firearms and ammunition,” he said.

The following were recovered:

– 19 firearms ,02 rifles, 02 AK 47 and 88 ammunition.
– 16 stolen cars with estimated value of R4.3m.
– 37 cellphones valued around R91 100.
– 03 TV’s valued around R18 000.
– 21 computers valued around R111 160.
– 05 Laptops valued around R23 000.
– Druggs; nyaope, Crystal myth and cat valued around R146 536.
– Dagga plants and packets valued around R34 363.

– Different assortment of items being; IT equipments,clothing, shoes, cosmetics, car parts and tyres, liquor, handcuffs, balaclavas, cell phone jamming device, 98 counterfeit goods and groceries with the estimated value of R134 451.

All the arrested suspects will appear before different Magistrate Courts throughout the Province for various offences, concluded Moatshe.