Twelve (12) suspects were arrested during the ongoing sting operations that were conducted by the SAPS Limpopo Highway Patrol Team (LHP) across the Province between Monday, 18 January 2021 until yesterday, on Wednesday, 20 January 2021.
The suspects aged between 25 and 49 were apprehended for various offences that include possession and dealing in drugs, possession of illicit cigarettes, possession of stolen vehicle, house and business robberies, possession of firearms and ammunition, fraud and contravention of the Disaster Management Act.
One (01) truck, three (03) vehicles, firearms, drugs, cash amount of money, dagga, illegal cigarettes and ammunition were seized during these operations.
A 35-year-old man was nabbed on Monday, 18 January 2021 at about 18:20 after the LHP received information that he was allegedly in possession of drugs at Penina Park Surbub in the City of Polokwane.
They reacted swiftly and on arrival, they found the suspect at his residence. He was searched and drugs with the estimated street value of more than R100 000-00 was found inside the house.
The operation continued resulting to another arrest of a 42-year-old man for transporting and dealing in drugs in the city of Polokwane. A silver Polo vehicle was spotted at corner Jorrison and Joubert Street in the CBD. The driver was thoroughly interviewed and searched, subsequently, 390 sachets of nyaope drugs with a street value of R11500-00 and R1010-00 in cash, were confiscated.
Furthermore, at about 23:10, on the same day, Monday, the Team received information about three (03) suspects that have committed a house robbery in the Senwabarwana policing area outside Polokwane.
It is alleged that three male suspects intruded the residence and tied up a man and a woman with robes and they robbed the couple of an undisclosed amount of money before they fled the scene with a white Toyota Hilux that belonged to the couple.
The Team started to search for the suspects and while patrolling along Blood river village outside Seshego, they spotted the vehicle that was matching the description of the one involved in the house robbery parked inside a yard.
When they approached it, three (03) suspects managed to escape through the windows of the house but two of them aged 25 and 28 were arrested at the scene. Police also recovered another vehicle reported to be stolen in the Matlala policing area outside Polokwane.
Lastly, yesterday, at about 23:30, the Team was continuing with the operation along the R519 road at Ga-Moloi village outside Burgersfort in the Sekhukhune District when they spotted a suspicious Mazda 3 sedan with four occupants.
The vehicle was stopped and police found four men who did not provide sufficient reasons why were they traveling during curfew period. The vehicle was further searched and an unlicensed firearm and ammunition were recovered.
The suspects aged between 29 and 49 were immediately arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm, ammunition and contravention of Disaster Management Act.
The suspects arrested during these operations, will appear before the different local magistrate’s courts soon.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has applauded the continuous determination that is displayed by the Limpopo Highway Patrol Team in the fight against criminal activities in all the Districts.