POLICE officers in the Nyanga policing cluster precinct in Cape Town arrested 500 people and confiscated quantities of drugs and several illegal firearms, among other things, during crime prevention operations over the weekend, Western Cape police said on Sunday.
“More than 220 suspects were apprehended for dealing and possession of drugs,” Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said.
Six unlicensed firearms and ammunition were confiscated, as well as 2399.5g of dagga, 177.75 Mandrax tablets, 81 units of tik (crystal meth), 27g of heroin, counterfeit goods, and more than 2230 litres of liquor.
Of those arrested, 88 were wanted suspects. The rest were apprehended for crimes ranging from murder and attempted murder to hijacking, illegal dealing in liquor, crimes against women and children, possession of stolen and hijacked vehicles, and possession of housebreaking implements and stolen property, Rwexana said.
Those arrested for illegal firearms included a case on Friday night where police acted on a tip-off and arrested three men when a firearm was found inside their shop. The 9mm Glock was reported stolen in Camps Bay in April last year.
Another man was arrested in the early hours on Saturday when police recovered a 6mm “baby firearm” with no serial number in his house in Sikhwalimanzi Street in Browns Farm.
Both firearms would be sent to ballistics for further tests. These four men, aged between 18 and 46, were expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms.
Crime prevention operations were carried out at suspected drug houses, shebeens, and places where possible illegal firearms could be found. There were also stop-and-search operations and vehicle control checkpoints were set up at taxi ranks at four roadblocks, Rwexana said. – ANA
