Limpopo cops make 1 163 arrests in latest operations
Between Sunday, 3 January and Sunday, 10 January, the police in the province arrested 1 163 people for various crimes which include selling drugs.
LIMPOPO – According to a statement by Police Spokesperson, Lt Col Mamphaswa Seabi, the offences range from murder, attempted murder, robberies, rape, sexual assault, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, common assault, common robbery, robbery with a weapon other than a firearm, sexual offences and business and residential robberies.
“Others were arrested for the failure to confine to their place of residence under current lockdown restrictions, driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to wear masks, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, public drinking and illegal dealing in liquor,” he explained.
Seabi said the operations comprised various police components which included the Crime Intelligence Unit, Public Order Policing Unit, detectives, Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit, K9 Unit as well as traffic police and Limpopo Highway Patrol members.
One of the notable arrests Seabi highlighted was made on 3 January by members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol.
“Police were on routine patrol at Solomondale location in the Capricorn district when they received information about a suspect, who was dealing and in possession of drugs. Police rushed to the house where the suspect (25) was arrested. Police discovered plastic bags of drugs, concealed inside the ceiling, which contained 14 sachets of crystal meth, 90 sachets of nyaope, 16 sachets of dagga and 190 wrapped packets of dagga with an estimated street value of R25 000,” he explained.
The police in the province are continuing their fight against drugs in the province and the arrest follows a 40-year-old foreign national, who the police believe may be one of the main distributors of drugs in the city, who was arrested during a joint police operation on Friday, 8 January.
Read more: Polokwane cops swoop down on yet another drug dealer, recover drugs to the value of over R1 million
Seabi added that 279 awareness campaigns, 2 478 compliance inspections at liquor premises, as well as 216 compliance inspections at second hand goods dealers were conducted in this time period.
Meanwhile, in the Mopani district, the police arrested a 58-year-old businessman and his two accomplices, aged 26 and 35, in connection with two separate incidents of murder, which took place in the Waterval policing area in 2019 and 2020.
In the first incident a 57-year-old man was shot and killed by three unknown men at the Mashamba post office on 28 March 2019. “It is alleged the deceased was shot while meeting his 58-year old brother who reportedly orchestrated the murder,” said Seabi.
The trio have also been linked to the murder of a 31-year-old Munyai Azwifarwi Justice from Mashau Mukhoro village on 15 September 2020. The deceased was found lying alongside the road at Bungeni Xitachiby by a passerby who alerted the police. The deceased had multiple gunshot wounds and a pistol was found lying next to him, Seabi added.
“Intensive investigations were launched by Vhembe District detectives in collaboration with Waterval police and subsequently the trio were arrested on Friday, 8 January.
All three accused are expected to appear before the relevant magistrates court soon.
“Another 266 crime prevention operations, 30 drug operations, 22 liquor control operations, 94 roadblocks, 3 788 stop-and-searches and 144 domestic violence incidents were attended to. Four shebeens were closed and 27 266 as well as 12 535 vehicles were searched,” he concluded.
