Illegal foreigner trio arrested outside Polokwane with illegal minerals
The trio were among eight others arrested for being in the country illegally and will face direct deportation back to their home countries.
POLOKWANE – A trio of illegal foreigners will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today (March 12) on charges of unlawful possession and dealing in gold-bearing minerals following their arrest on Sunday (March 10).
The trio were arrested for the unlawful dealing in gold-bearing minerals in the Bergenek village outside Polokwane by members of the SAPS Capricorn District Illicit Mining Tast Team following a tip-off
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said a silver hatchback was spotted at the gate of a farm in the area and upon searching the vehicle and its three occupants, a substantial amount of money and gold-bearing ore as well as a pocket scale was found.
The trio were also found to be in the country illegally.
“The team further conducted patrols in the Bergenek area during the disruptive operation Vala Umgodi and managed to arrest six illegal foreign nationals for the contravention of the Immigration Act as they failed to provide the police with necessary documents,” Ledwaba added.
In addition, five other illegal immigrants were arrested during the same operation in the Vhembe area.
Ledwaba said the 11 illegal immigrants arrested in both the Capricorn and Vhembe districts will be processed by immigration officers from the Department of Home Affairs for direct deportation back to their countries.
