GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Concerted efforts by the police in the Eden Cluster and the strategic deployment of integrated forces ensured that 290 suspects were arrested between Friday 23 July and Sunday morning (06:00) 25 July.
Of these, 226 were arrested for reported crime committed during the mentioned period.
These arrests represent various criminal offences, ranging from petty crimes, to the contravention of Covid-19 regulations, as well as other serious crime since the start of this weekend.
This weekend’s operations included high visibility patrols in crime stricken areas, roadblocks, stop and search operations with a special focus on drug and liquor outlets, illegal firearms, the tracing of wanted suspects and the confiscation dangerous weapons.
Most of the arrested suspects will make their court appearance in the local magistrates’ court tomorrow, Monday, 26 July 2021, once charged whilst others were released on a warning to appear in court at a later stage or pay an admission of guild fine for the transgressions of the Covid regulations.
Some of the confiscated drugs in Ladismith within the Eden Cluster.
Ladismith
On Saturday at about 17:00, members attached to the Rural Flying Squad who were strategically deployed along Kannaland’s R62-route operationalized intelligence of a suspect who is commuting drugs. They set a vehicle checkpoint on the route and upon spotting the vehicle the suspect was travelling in, pulled it over about 10km outside Ladismith, travelling from Cape Town.
They ensued with a search and found 200 Mandrax Tablets and 50gram of Tik in the luggage of the suspect. Subsequently they confiscated the drugs as evidence and arrested the
A suspect from Varkieskloof, an informal settlement in Ladismith, was arrested with 200 Mandrax Tablets and 50gram of Tik in his luggage. The 33-year old suspect was traveling from Cape Town and pulled over about 10 km outside Ladismith by members attached to the Rural Flying Squad.
The suspect will appear in the Ladismith magistrates’ court on Monday 26 July on a charge of illegal possession of drugs.
This success followed another breakthrough against the illegal transportation and distribution of drugs in the district’s rural remote areas on Thursday 22 July when three suspects between the ages 20, 31 and 33 were arrested for the illegal possession of drugs. The police followed up on information received about the trio, travelling from Cape Town.
Four parcels of compressed dagga was found in the bag of the female suspect. One of the men carried an iron board in which 93 Mandrax tablets were concealed inside the poles of the board, whilst the third suspect had to be taken to the Allan Blyth hospital in Ladismith where 7 Mandrax tablets and 26 g of Tik, concealed internally in the suspects’ rectum, had to be extracted.
They are also scheduled to appear in the Ladismith Magistrates’ court on Monday 26 July for the illegal possession of drugs.
Eden Cluster Commander, Maj Gen Oswald Reddy, commended the members for their vigilance in bringing these perpetrators to book.
He reiterated that although seemingly insignificant for some, these police initiated interventions indeed prevented the commission of other serious crimes such as murders, robberies, serious assaults and domestic-related and Gender Based Violence.
Western Cape Provincial Management has lauded the members for their efforts that contributed to a safer weekend in the various policing precincts.
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