An Inter-Provincial Cross Border Operation was executed in four provinces namely, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State from the 27-31 March 2023.
The four provinces were represented by the respective provincial heads of the Provincial Operational Command Centres namely Brigadier Hennie Van Rensburg(NC) the Operational Commander, supported by Brigadier’s Ibel Khuto from Freestate, Penny Pillay from the Eastern Cape, Siphiwo Sithonga from the Western Cape who actively monitored progress in the execution of police actions from the established Joint operations centre
The Northern Cape Province hosted the operations with the focus on the following key actions:
Non-ferrous metal theft and essential infrastructure being transported across our provinces to major offset and or distribution centres such a Kimberley, Gqeberha and Mossel bay.
The actions also focused on the movement and transportation of drugs across provincial borders;
The trafficking of prohibited and protected fauna and flora;
The transportation of illicit batteries, metals and other contrabands by bus companies;
Stolen vehicle engines and parts concealed in cargo trucks.
Police actions executed during the duration operation included tracing operations by detectives who secured various arrests of wanted suspects and offenders.
625 Suspects across the four provinces were arrested for an array of crimes including robber, assault, property related crimes, malicious damage to property, possession of suspected stolen property, theft, drug related crimes, etc.
32 Undocumented immigrants were nabbed for contravening the immigration act and were processed by officials from the Department of Home Affairs.
The SAPS also came down hard on persons aiding and abbeting undocumented persons.
Drugs valued at than R995 980 were confiscated across the four provinces, these include mandrax, dagga, khat and tik.
Cash amounting to R5 956-00 that is believed to be the proceeds of crime was seized.
A truck valued at R350 000 was confiscated in Aliwal North for transportation of illicit cigarettes valued at more than 10 million rands and an enquiry docket was registered for further investigation.
37 roadblocks and 117 vehicle checkpoints (VCP’s) were conducted on national and secondary roads during which 9393 vehicles were stopped and searched and 12881 persons were also searched across the four provinces.
915 trucks and 37 busses crossing the provincial borders were searched and 4407 occupant’s baggage was checked and scanned.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is committed and wil continue to stamp down the authority of the state and wil reclaim our communities from criminals.
Some of the successes in the provinces included:
The discovery of conophytum plants at a roadblock in the West Coast, Western Cape Province;
Tik of almost R300 000 removed from our streets, due to a roadblock set at the Tsitsikama tollplaza on the N2 national road and;
Bundles of Khat valued more than R320 000 intercepted at Verkeerdevlei toll plaza on the N1 Free State;
A substantial amount of dagga found in Kimberley Northern Cape as well as Rawsonville N1 national road in the Western Cape;
Numerous illegal dealing in liquor outletts and closure of tavens/shebeens in Kwanonqaba, Mosselbay and
A total of 2206 litres of alcohol was seized during compliance inspections at liquor outlets and 14 sheebeens were closed in conjunction with the rrspective Provincial Liquor Boards.
The multi-disciplinary approach also ensured that a substantial amount of fines amounting to R465 875 were issued as well as compliance inspections at different establishments, harbours, fisheries, pharmacies, liquor outlets, second hand goods shops, scrapyards etc, that resulted in R624 195 of non-compliance fines being issued to the businesses.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola commended all law enforcement agencies and stakeholders who participated in the successful execution of the operations conducted simultaneously during this period in all provinces.
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