Eighty-seven suspects aged between 25 and 49 were arrested, eight wounded and six fatally during a shootout with members of the Special Task Force assisted by Hawks Organised Crime in North West in an intelligence-driven operation last night in Orkney.
It is reported that upon execution of information received, the multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Hawks, Task Force, National Intervention Unit, District Crime Combatting Unit, NW Airwing, Explosives Unit, Bidvest Protea Coin Security, and Local Criminal Record Centre descended upon the identified shaft where they were met with the suspects’ gunfire. The team returned fire wherein eight suspects were wounded and six fatally whilst eighty-seven were arrested. One member of the team was wounded. The wounded suspects were taken to hospital under police guard.
The team seized two mini busses, Illegal mining paraphernalia, gold-bearing material, eleven Illegal firearms (3 x shotguns, 3 x rifles, 4 x pistols, and 1 x revolver), and bags of food.
The suspect will appear in the Orkney Magistrates court on 08 November 2021 facing charges of attempted murder, illegal possession of gold, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, theft, and conspiracy to commit an offense.