Police operations clean up streets ahead of Easter holidays

SEKHUKHUNE – More than 700 suspects were nabbed in special police operations for various crimes throughout the province over the weekend as part of Operation Fiela II involving police units at all command levels ahead of the Easter holidays.

Seven Hundred and Fifty Seven suspects aged between 20 and 56 years-old were arrested for a series of crimes ranging from housebreaking and theft, theft of motor vehicle, carjacking, house, business, armed robberies to possession of drugs and dagga, unlicensed firearms and ammunitions and stolen properties.

The operations are focused on areas where trio crimes, serious and violent crimes are prevalent and involved stop and searches, roadblocks, raiding of illegal businesses including liquor outlets, tracing wanted suspects and Visual Police (VISPOL) in shopping malls and centres.

Police recovered eight cars, six Plasma TV’s, three firearms and 34 ammunition, 1299 grams of dagga, 81 sachets of dagga, four bags of dagga and dagga trees, a music system and speakers, IT equipment, liquor, blankets, laptops, cellphones, a knife and microwave during the operations from various clusters throughout the province.

Lt Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, Limpopo Provincial Police Spokesperson, said in the Groblersdal cluster, police arrested two suspects aged 26 and 39 years-old for possession of suspected stolen properties, drugs and dagga. A bag full of dagga and 30 sachets of Nyaope drugs were recovered during the arrest.

In Bela-Bela, a 30 year-old man was arrested for possession of drugs in the form of six packets of Cat. In Makhado, 10 suspects aged between 21 and 44 years-old were arrested in Musina and Makhado policing precincts for possession of dagga and drugs and police recovered 63,3 grams and 13 sachets of dagga, and 03 packets of Cat drugs.

Ngoepe said in the Tzaneen cluster, four suspects aged between 23 and 31 were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of dagga and planting dagga in Bolobedu and Tzaneen policing areas. Police recovered a firearm, a magazine, 50 packets of dagga, a plastic – quarter full of loose dagga and 44 dagga plants.

He said in Thohoyandou, a 27 year-old man was arrested for a series of burglaries and possession of suspected stolen properties. Police recovered two keyboards, an adapter, two sound mixtures, an amplifier, a refrigerator, 13 microphones, keyboard cords, Mic cords, electric cables, three wireless microphones, three wireless microphone receivers, a guitar, drum gear and 06 speakers during his arrest.

He added that in Lephalale, two suspects aged 54 and 56 years-old were arrested for planting dagga and 206 dagga threes were discovered.

“The suspects will appear before different magistrates’ court throughout the province soon. The operations will still hit the streets beyond the coming Easter holidays with increased workforce from various police units and components,” concluded Ngoepe.

The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt General Nneke Ledwaba, has commended members involved in the operations.

Ledwaba assured communities a safe and secured Easter period and urged everyone to continue supporting the police through providing reliable information at all times.