LIMPOPO – Since the beginning of the new year, 673 suspects including 471 illegal immigrants have been arrested for different criminal activities, said the police on Monday.
The suspects were apprehended on various charges ranging from possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of drugs, possession of suspected stolen properties, theft, dealing in liquor without license, murder, public drinking, armed robbery, contravention of illegal immigration Act to trio crimes, said Col Moatshe Ngoepe, Spokesperson for the police.
“These simultaneous intelligence led joint operations were composed of members derived from Crime Intelligence, Public Order Police, General Detectives, Clusters and Stations and were conducted through tracing of wanted suspects, road blocks, stop and searches, border policing and raiding of illegal businesses.”
During these operations, items such as firearms and rounds of ammunition, drugs, vehicles, liquor, clothing, Plasma TV’s, cellphones, electronics and housebreaking equipment were confiscated.
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The arrested suspects, aged between 19 and 56, have already started appearing before the various magistrate courts, Ngoepe added.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended all the members who were involved in these operations. “ I urge all members of the South African Police Service in this province to be relentless in this fight, until the crime situation is completely normalised”, concluded General Ledwaba.
