Weekly police operations net over 800 suspects for various offences
Among the arrested suspects was a 27-year-old man who was caught in Louis Trichardt for impersonating a police detective.
LIMPOPO – In the past week, law enforcement members arrested a total of 897 people for various offences during joint operations which were conducted through the province. These operations were conducted from 12-20 June and comprised members from various police units including Crime intelligence, Provincial Operations Command Center (POCC), Public Order Police, Crime Prevention and other law enforcement agencies.
In a statement released, police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the suspects, aged between 27 and 54 years old. The culprits face charges ranging from murder, business robbery, rape, burglary, possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles, possession and dealing in drugs, robbery with weapon other than firearm, impersonating a police officer and possession of suspected stolen property among others, he added.
During these arrests, police also confiscated 122 641 counterfeit cigarettes sticks, 15 dangerous weapons, 21 knives, five firearms and various amounts of drugs and liquor. “Seven stolen or robbed vehicles were also recovered and 1 431 fines issued,” Mojapelo said.
He highlighted some of the arrests:
In the Capricorn district the Limpopo Highway Patrol Team (LHP) arrested a 31-year-old man on charges of possession and dealing in drugs. “During a routine patrol the members noticed a vehicle parked along the road in Ga-Chuene village along the R37. They approached the driver and requested to search the vehicle.”
“While conducting the search, they noticed that the boot door’s cover was not properly fitted and when they opened it, they discovered a blue plastic bag containing 500 sachets of Nyaope to the estimated value of R130 000.
Meanwhile in the Seshego policing area, a 42-year-old man was arrested for possession of illicit cigarettes. “The LHP received information about a suspect travelling in Seshego Extension 71, delivering illicit cigarettes. Police reacted swiftly and upon arrival they positively spotted the vehicle and followed it until it stopped at one of the rental residences. It was searched and two boxes full of Remington Gold cigarettes containing 130 cartoons were found.”
The illicit goods are estimated to the street value of R13 000.
In the Vhembe area, a tip-off led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man who impersonated a police detective. Mojapelo explained that police received information about a man who alleged he was a detective from Rustenburg. “He was traveling in a motor vehicle with a North West (NW) registration number with a SAPS insignia displayed and was stopped in Louis Trichardt.”
“Upon further interrogation, it soon came to light that he was not a police officer and also not the owner of the said vehicle. The vehicle was searched and a gas pistol Glock-19 replica and an Okapi knife found.” He was arrested on a charges of impersonating a police officer and being in possession of dangerous weapons, he said.
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Preliminary investigations indicated that the owner of the vehicle is a police sergeant attached to the Rustenburg Police Station who is on suspension pending cases against her, he added.
The suspects nabbed during these operations have already started appearing before the various magistrate’s court in the province.
