Crime fighters get great results in joint operation

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Police together with several other law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) and Traffic Law Enforcement Directorate (TLE), were out in full force in the Southern Cape last weekend running a joint transport enforcement operation from Thursday 24 June.

The following day, Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police, Major-General Thembisile Patekile, also deployed various units into crime-stricken areas in the region.

These units clamped down on drug outlets in George and Oudtshoorn where more than a million rands' worth of drugs were confiscated.

According to Patekile, operations like these are continuous and the specific one held in George over the weekend cannot be directly linked to the taxi unrest that has plagued George over the last couple of weeks.

Provincial spokesperson for the DTPW, Jandré Bakker, also said that such joint initiatives happen throughout the year and are part of their strategic and tactical plans. "Joint operations, which are done in collaboration with the police and local law enforcement authorities, are all part of our strategy to make our roads safer for all road users," said Bakker.

He further said that these operations cover a wide scope of enforcement activities and all modes of transport, from private motor vehicles and heavy motor vehicles transporting goods, to public transport.

By end of Friday, approximately 146 vehicles had been stopped and searched; 42 fines to the value of R73 500 were issued for traffic offences and 13 vehicles impounded. By the time the paper went to print no further specific statistics could be confirmed.

According to Southern Cape police spokesperson, Sgt Chris Spies, they started the operation with a search at the George taxi rank in the CBD. Here police arrested three suspects on charges of dealing in drugs, as well as one illegal immigrant. Nearly a kilogram of dagga, 30 packets of tik and 23 Mandrax tablets were confiscated as well.

Later the same day, an intelligence-driven operation took members of the Attaqua K9 and Eden Cluster Crime Combatting Team to Thabo Mbeki Square, Bongulethu (Oudtshoorn). Armed with a search warrant, they proceeded with a search of the premises and found 203 grams of tik on site. A 30-year-old-man, a known high-flyer, was arrested on a charge of dealing in drugs.

In the Oudtshoorn area, Dysselsdorp police confiscated more than 30 Mandrax tablets, 69 bankies of tik and 18 Sassa cards. They also seized the alleged proceeds of illicit activities to the amount of R14 619,10. Three suspects, aged 25, 30 and 31, were arrested on a charge of possession of drugs each, as well as offences under the National Credit Act.

On Saturday 26 June members of the public order policing unit (Pop) confiscated 13 bankies of tik, 15 bankies of dagga and small quantities of Mandrax. A 38-year-old suspect was arrested for dealing in drugs.

Some of the confiscated drugs and money.