LIMPOPO: A total of 860 suspects, aged between 18 and 55, were nabbed during simultaneous intelligence driven joint operations which were conducted throughout the province until the early hours of this morning, the police confirmed on Monday, 18 March.
These operations which were conducted through road blocks, stop and searches, tracing of wanted suspects and raiding of unlicensed businesses saw suspects arrested for various offences ranging from possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of drugs, murder, attempted murder, house robbery, armed robbery, burglary business and residential, rape, fraud, possession of suspected stolen goods, possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle to contravention of immigration Act.
The operations which were focused on the problematic areas, comprised of various police units including the Crime intelligence, Detectives, Crime prevention, Public Order Police(POP), Tactical Response Team(TRT), the Air-wing and K9.
Police spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepes said a total of 12 vehicles, 11 firearms and over 400 rounds of ammunition, various other weapons, drugs and household goods were sized and confiscated during these operations.
He added that in the Polokwane area, two suspects were arrested and their vehicles seized on separate occasions after the drivers fled from a roadblock which had been staged along the R71 road between Polokwane and Dalmada. “The two vehicles were stopped on separate occasions but both drivers sped off and eventually lost control of their vehicles and overturned. One person from each car was trapped inside and the remaining occupants fled the scenes. The two vehicles and the house breaking equipment was recovered on the separate scenes,” Ngoepe explained.
Read more: 24-hour police operation sees over 700 suspects nabbed for various crimes
Meanwhile in the Modimolle area, three suspects, aged between 30 and 35, were nabbed along the N1 road and found with drugs valued at about R150 000. “The police seized 12 balls of nyaope containing 3000 sachets and a Toyota tazz,” he said.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has commended all the operational members who participated in these operations.
Read more: Thirteen arrested in separate operations as Lim police crackdown on criminals
Ngoepe confirmed that all the arrested suspects have started appearing before the various Magistrate Courts throughout the province.
