Police recover abandoned 16 bags of suspected precious stones, ammunition, and explosives during an illicit mining operation at Gravelotte

The Police at Gravelote Policing Area , Mopàni District in Limpopo have recovered 16 bags of suspected precious stones, explosives, 323 ammunition of different kinds of firearms abandoned at an old mining shafts at Madupa and Harmony mines, during an operation conducted on Wednesday, 25 October 2023 betweeen 07:00 and 14:00, focusing on Illicit mining activities.

The operational teams were POCC, Tzaneen and Giyani POP, Mopani highway patrol, local police police stations, Organised Crime, DMRE, Vhembe TRT, Crime Intelligence Tzaneen and Phalaborwa and Private security companies.

According to information received, the members were on operation when they saw a group of people suspected to be mining illegally and upon noticing the Police, they dispersed to different directions, leaving some items, including explosives.

The following items were found abandoned:
* 16 X bags of suspected precious stones
* 323 X ammunition (R5, Hunting rounds, special revolver rounds, short gun shells, hunting birds rounds)
* 02 X cellphones
* 02 X Detonate cort (explosives)
* 01 X Rifle barrel
* 01 X abandoned hammer
* 01 X extention cable
* 02 X Hacksaw
* 01 X Generator
* 01 X Drill

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has praised the Operational Teams involved in recovering the special stones, ammunition and explosives among other items. She further, warned the criminals involved that Police will never rest until they arrested.

The operations focusing on illegal mining activities are still continuing across the province.