LIMPOPO – The police on Monday said that 1 920 people have been arrested as part of ongoing intelligence-driven joint operations across the province. The operations were up and running from 13 February until this morning (Monday, 22 February).
Most suspects were handcuffed for crimes ranging from murder, rape, fraud, robberies, sexual offences, stock theft, burglaries, possession and dealing in drugs and illicit cigarettes, malicious damage to property (MITP), possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of suspected stolen properties, public drinking, illegal dealing in liqour, Contravention of National Road Traffic Act, Illegal Immigration Act, assault etc.
Of the 1 920 people arrested, 483 faces charges related to the Contravention of the Disaster Management Act for infringements such as the sale, dispensing, distribution and transportation of liquor, not wearing masks in public and non-compliance on the curfew.
In a statement, Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe mentions a few operational successes.
In the Sekhukhune district, police in Motetema outside Groblersdal arrested two men, aged 35 and 44, in connection with the attack of 60-year-old man and his son at a store in the area. During the attack the several shorts were fired and the elderly man’s vehicle was damaged. No one was injured. A 9mm pistol and a pellet gun were confiscated during the arrest. The duo face charges of attempted murder, malicious damage to property and possession of illegal firearm and ammunition.
Whereas, in the Waterberg district, police in Ga-Madiba village in Mahwelereng arrested two men, aged 24 and 26, for a series of business robberies in the area. The men were arrested outside Modimolle after they were found in the possession of a vehicle which was stolen during one of these burglaries.
These operations were performed by operational teams such as Crime Intelligence, K9 unit, Provincial Operational Command Center, Crime Prevention, Detectives, Limpopo Highway Patrol Team, Public Order Police, Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit backed by the South African National Defence Force(SANDF), Provincial and Municipal Traffic Polic and, other stakeholders and were conducted through tracing of wanted suspects, stop and searches, roadblocks, intensified patrols and raiding of unlicensed businesses.
The recent operations also saw the arrest of many in the the Vhembe and Mopani and Capricorn districts. Some of the arrested suspects have already started appearing before different magistrate courts throughout the province. Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba congratulated the teams for these operational successes. “
It is as a result of the hard work and commitment by these operational teams and support from our communities that we are able to achieve these milestone achievements,” Ledwaba concluded.
