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Following a multi-disciplinary raid in a mine shaft in Stilfontein in the early hours of Monday, 10 October, heavily armed illegal miners (zama-zamas) were apprehended.
Colonel Katlego Mogale, a police spokesperson, stated that on 10 October 2022, the North West Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, assisted by members of the Hawks’ Tactical Management Section, Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, District Illegal Mining Task Team, Tactical Response Team, Bidvest Protea Coin, and Harmony Gold mine, conducted an early morning raid at a mine shaft in Stilfontein.
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“The operation is ongoing and we cannot rule out the possibility of more arrests and more seizures,” Mogale said.
She went on to say that the operation was the result of weeks of surveillance into the suspects’ alleged illegal mining activities, which resulted in the arrest of twenty (20) people and the seizure of fifteen (15) AK47s, six (6) hunting rifles, two (2) shotguns, and one (1) R5, as well as boxes full of ammunition, explosives, and an undisclosed amount of money.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, has praised the multi-disciplinary team’s arrests and seizures and warned that this is only the beginning.
Prior to the court appearance, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), led by Minister of Police General Bheki Cele, will visit the crime scene where 24 firearms were seized and 20 suspects were arrested following the takedown operation at the Stilfontein mining shaft.
In other crime-related news, members of Mangaung Metro’s Tactical Response Team and Crime Intelligence foiled a planned armed robbery in Botshabelo on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
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According to police, their team followed the armed suspects along the N8 National Road between Bloemfontein and Botshabelo and tactically stopped the Toyota Conquest around 14:00. Two suspects were apprehended, and two firearms with 15 round of ammunition were seized.
#sapsHAWKS In a continuous fight against #IllegalMining, North West #Hawks‘ Serious Organised Crime Investigation together with other units and stakeholders, raided a mine shaft in Stilfontein on 10 October 2022. NPhttps://t.co/4O2gt56U9P pic.twitter.com/aaozQUvzuX
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) October 10, 2022