Amanzimtoti bush raid nets undesirables
Crime in our area has escalated to what SAPS classify as being in the red zone.
A successful joint operation spearheaded by the police and local law enforcement officers netted several criminals in Winklespruit on Friday afternoon, 4 October, while the rest of Toti enjoyed cheering on the Boks.
Toti SAPS, under command of Colonel Bonginkosi Nkabinde and Lt Col Riëtte Kitching, and sector two commander, WO Steven Whiley, were assisted by CCPO’s George Snodey and Paul O’Neill along with ET’s Tony Lokker, K9 officer, Titan and team, and Blue Security officers cordoned off and searched a wooded area in the bush next to the council offices in Mayors Mews in Winklespruit.
“In addition to several land invaders and vagrants being taken to the police station for cross reference purposes, samples of street drugs and a large amount of money was found and confiscated from several suspects,” said ward 97 councillor, André Beetge, who accompanied the raid.
“Newly-appointed Metro Police commander for the southern areas Supt Hennie Nell, who attended with me, committed his support towards similar initiatives in an attempt to restore law and order and bylaw compliances. Kudos to all our law enforcement and security structures on a well-planned and executed operation.”
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Snodey was equally impressed by the initiative shown by the police. “Well done Toti SAPS – now let’s make sure these operations are ongoing. Between all the security guys and SAPS, we cordoned the entire area off and members infiltrated the bush. The suspects scattered in different directions, but they were all eventually caught.
“Two drug dealers were arrested with drugs and each had about R4 000 in cash on them from their illegal trade and this was at about 1pm, so who knows what the total sales would have been at the end of the day. Three other suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, with another being a wanted person.
“Five of the local prostitutes were also taken to the police station and profiled. These prostitutes have now moved into the area where they are living in the illegal bush camps.
“It was a good operation and according to Nkabinde, this is going to be ongoing. Crime in our area has escalated to what SAPS classify as being in the red zone and its common knowledge that since all these illegal structures have popped up, crime has really become a major problem in Toti,” said Snodey.
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