POLOKWANE – Led by the MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Dickson Masemola and Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba, police in Limpopo have arrested 8 275 people during a high-density operation, “Swara Tsotsi”.
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Running during the months of August and September, the operation was executed roadblocks, stop and searches, compliance inspections of liqour outlets and tracing of wanted suspects.
During the operation, suspects between the ages of 19 and 57-year-old were arrested for various offences including murder, rape, assault, possession of suspected stolen property, unlicensed firearms and ammunition, drugs, dangerous weapons, residential and business burglaries, robberies, drunken driving as well as the Contravention of the Immigration Act and Contravention of Road Traffic Act.
“Police managed to confiscate a total number of 63 firearms, 1 982 rounds of live ammunition, 34 vehicles, 76 cellphones, 13.47kgs of dagga, 13 dagga plants, 113 sachets of nyaope, 15.47 litres of liquor, 574 counterfeit cigarettes, 58 knives, 2 pangas and 251 other confiscations,” said Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe.
The origin of the recovered items is being determined through ongoing police investigations.
The following searches took place during the operation:
– 61 176 people
– 41 772 vehicles
– 262 residential premises
– 239 liquor outlets
– 49 business
– 25 second-hand good stores
Other activities included:
– 713 stop and searches
– 454 patrols
– 995 fines issued under the Liqour Act.
– 71 bylaw fines issued
– 1 110 admissions of guilt fines issued.
– 643 traffic fines issued
– 5 written warnings
Highlights included a 39-year-old man suspected of house robbery, arrested in Polokwane. “During the arrest, the man was found to be linked to a series of house breaking and theft cases committed around Musina and Makhado between 2016 and 2018,” Ngoepe explained.
In addition, a 48-year-old woman was arrested at her home in Munzhedzi village in August, for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
“Police confiscated a 9mm pistol with 13 rounds of live ammunition. Further investigations are being conducted to determine the origin of the firearm and possible linkage to other serious offences committed in the area and surroundings,” Ngoepe said.
Some of the accused have already begun appearing before various Magistrate Courts across the province.
