Lentswe, Klerksdorp - The police and customs officials of SARS confiscated illegal cigarettes and alcohol in Klerksdorp, and neighbouring Potchefstroom and Ikageng. These operations took place between August 18 and 20, and were conducted by the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit (CCIU) and Crime Intelligence members in conjunction with customs officials, to enforce the Customs and Excise Act.
The following items worth R236 740 were confiscated: six master cases of cigarettes; 645 cartons of cigarettes; 185 packets of cigarettes; five boxes of hubbly bubbly; 158 cartons of hubbly bubbly and another 266 packets of hubbly bubbly.
This operation formed part of Operation Shanela 2, with police arresting 898 suspects for different crimes and seized items that included 67 rounds of ammunition, 10 cellular phone, liquor and tobacco products.
The arrested suspects among others, included 66 for possession of drugs, 22 for illegal dealing in liquor, 111 for assault with the intent to do previous bodily harm, 67 for common assault, 32 for burglary and 15 for driving under the influence of alcohol of drugs.
According to Col Adele Myburgh, police spokesperson, out of the 898 arrested suspects, 430 were arrested by the detectives as those on the circulated wanted suspects’ lists. They included five for murder, five for house robbery, 27 for rape and 147 for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
“In addition, 41 illegal immigrants were arrested for being in the country in contravention of the Immigration Act. The Vala Umgodi team arrested a further 46 illegal immigrants, a person for unlawful possession of ammunition. Furthermore, an employer was issued with a fine for employing an illegal immigrant. Through joint law enforcement compliance inspections to enforce the provisions of the Liquor and Second-Hand Goods Acts, 21 unlicensed liquor outlets (shebeens) were closed and more than 4 300 litres of liquor were confiscated,” she said.
Acting Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng said: “These continuous, weekly High Density operations will be intensified in preparation and anticipation of the critical pre-festive season events and festivities, such as end of year examinations, music-, cultural- and sporting events.”
